Antetokounmpo did not attend the Bucks’ training camp to start the preseason, but that did not stop the drama. He appeared at media day Monday via Zoom from his home, where he is recovering from a case of COVID-19. From there, Antetokounmpo delivered the message Bucks fans want to hear: he is fully committed to Milwaukee this season, trusts his teammates, and called the Bucks “very, very dangerous.”

He also confirmed that he re-evaluated his future with the Bucks over the summer, but stressed that this is nothing new. “Of course, yes,” Antetokounmpo said about reports he considered seeking a change this summer. “Guys, every summer there’s truth to every report. The same thing I’ve been saying my whole career – I want to be on a team that allows me, gives me a chance to win a championship and wants to compete at a high level.”

“I think it’s a disservice to basketball, it’s a disservice just to the game to not want to compete at a high level, to not want your season to end in April. So, it’s pretty much the same. It’s not the first time. I had the same thoughts last year, I had the same thoughts two years ago, I had the same thoughts five years ago – yeah, 2020 – so it’s never gonna change. I want to be among the best, I want to compete with the best, and I want to win another championship and that’s it.”

Antetokounmpo feels a responsibility

Giannis also achieved something historic this summer with his native Greece at EuroBasket, calling the bronze medal “probably the greatest accomplishment in my life.” Now, he wants to replicate that feeling in Milwaukee.

The Bucks did enough this offseason to keep Antetokounmpo happy, waiving and stretching Damian Lillard to free up cap space to sign stretch big Myles Turner from the Pacers. Still, if the Bucks start slowly, the rumors could flare up again.

There is now a clearer path to the team’s goals. Despite losing a player like Lillard, the additions of Turner and others give Milwaukee a stronger roster. The key will be maintaining a strong relationship between the franchise and its superstar.

The tense moment with Bucks owner

Another source of drama involved Antetokounmpo and Bucks owner Wes Edens. Discussing Giannis and his future, Edens said, “I had a great conversation with Giannis in June, and he made it clear that he is committed to Milwaukee and he likes having his family here.”

Antetokounmpo was asked about that meeting an hour later, and his response raised eyebrows. “I cannot recall that meeting.” That exchange could become a point of tension in the relationship, potentially influencing how seriously Giannis considers leaving the NBA franchise in the future.

Now, the Bucks pretty much have a season to convince arguably their best player in franchise history — granted that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left early — to stay in town.

And according to a GM who talked to NBA insider Ric Bucher, it all had to do with their first-round shortcomings vs. the Miami Heat, as Giannis was left wondering what kind of team they actually were.

Bucks’ First-Round Exit Made Giannis Doubt His Future

“That happening to him in the first round is the reason for the stance he’s taking, which is, ‘I’m not saying I’m not coming back, but I need to see which team we are. Are we a first-round exit team? Or are we really a Finals team that just happened to lose in the first round for different reasons last year?,'” the GM said.

The Bucks could’ve won that series, or at least been more competitive, had Giannis not left with an injury in the first game. Still, they failed to rally without him, and that could be a concern.

New coach Adrian Griffin will be under a lot of pressure to deliver right away. Giannis Is one of the best players in the league, and he should have no shortage of suitors if he decides to leave.