It was in May that Shams Charania revealed Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking at a future outside Milwaukee. It quickly spiralled into the franchise, bringing Myles Turner from Indiana, although Damian Lillard became a sacrificial pawn. However, what if those two actions weren’t connected? The Bucks’ media day came full of surprises, and explained their calm demeanor throughout the summer.

With the top brass present, questions around the Greek Freak’s future poured in. That’s when Bucks Governor Wes Edens dropped a bombshell. The Bucks never thought Antetokounmpo considered leaving. “I had a great conversation with Giannis back in June. And he made it very clear he is committed to Milwaukee,” he revealed on the Bucks media day.

In hindsight, it’s something the NBA world guessed. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t openly speak about his situation with the Bucks. There was one time he told infamous streamer Speed that he would “probably” do that in Milwaukee. The reason was “love”. Wisconsin is home away from home for the two-time MVP. And he has always been loyal, no matter the situation.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has three years, including a player option on his contract. However, the Bucks can’t relax just because the Greek Freak pledged his loyalty for this season. As an organization, they lack the assets to make any major trades. Turner’s acquisition does help, but it’s far from the finishing piece to a championship team.

That’s all that matters to Antetokounmpo going forward. He’s made it very clear that he will remain with the Bucks as long as their match his competitive desires. At the moment, even with a weak East, the Bucks don’t seem daunting. A lot of work needs to be done to build a roster around Antetokounmpo. At the same time, they don’t have the resources to fortify their roster.

The media and everybody would be curious as to how Giannis Antetokounmpo views the Bucks. But they may not find out today.

Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be present for Bucks media day

Amidst the tension swirling within the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be in the building for media day. Don’t worry, the situation isn’t like Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors. The restricted free agent has yet to agree on a contract, which is the reason he wasn’t present for the Warriors’ media day.

Antetokounmpo can’t be there due to illness.

Eric Nehm reported, “Bucks general manager Jon Horst tells reporters that Giannis Antetokounmpo has COVID and will be away from the team for a bit, but Horst still believes Antetokounmpo will be available on Zoom later today,”. Barring any technical issues, the NBA media will get some answers from the former Finals MVP.

Regardless, it seems the Bucks were confident about retaining Giannis Antetokounmpo since June. He never requested a trade during the height of trade rumors. So the Bucks have another year to show Antetokounmpo that they can remain competitive. It plays into their favor that the East has some major injuries, making the competition slightly less intense. But even with supreme talent, the Bucks haven’t made it past the first round in each of their past two seasons.

In order to persuade Antetokounmpo to remain loyal, you would think they need to find more postseason success this season. Do you think the Greek Freak can unlock the best out of the Bucks? Let us know your views in the comments below.