‘Locked in’ Giannis says agent talk with Bucks out of his hands

milwaukee-bucks star giannis antetokounmpo He said he is “locked in” on getting healthy and told reporters Thursday afternoon that he can’t control reports about his future with the Bucks.

“If my agent is talking to the Bucks about this, he’s his own person. He can negotiate whatever he wants,” Antetokounmpo told reporters before Thursday’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

“At the end of the day, I haven’t personally interacted with the Bucks. I’m still locked in, staying connected with my teammates, most importantly getting back healthy.”

First up Thursday was Antetokounmpo, who has been sidelined since Dec. 3. With strain in right calfAn ESPN report from the same day addressed Considering my future with the BucksSources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo and his agent are discussing whether the best fit for him is in Milwaukee or elsewhere,

Antetokounmpo largely ignored questions about those desires, emphasizing that the Bucks entered the day ranked 11th in the Eastern Conference with an 11-16 record, and saying he was not concerned about how reports about his future would affect his teammates.

“It won’t affect my work,” Antetokounmpo said. “It doesn’t affect my relationship with my teammates, it doesn’t affect my relationship with my coaches. It doesn’t affect my relationship with the GM. So, it doesn’t really bother me because they know what I’m going through… Right now, we can’t worry about what would happen.” [reports] Are.

“talking about [reports] And headlines, but at the end of the day we are fighting for our lives. We’ve got to win a game.”

Antetokounmpo said he doesn’t need to meet with the entire team to address reports about his future, but he said some of his teammates have asked him personally.

“I think they understand the deal, but you just have to give the team urgency,” he said. “Like guys, this is serious… we have to change this. We have time, but you have to show a little more urgency.

“I’ve talked to coaches about it. I’ve talked to individual players about it. I’ve been contacted by teammates who have asked me about it.” [reports] Because it could affect their own lives and their own careers and whatever the answer is, I’m straight with them.”

Milwaukee has gone 1-3 without Antetokounmpo since his most recent injury. Initial recovery timeline of two to four weeksStill, coach Doc Rivers said earlier this week that Antetokounmpo hasn’t made much progress in individual work on the court and is no closer to a return, Following Thursday’s home game, the Bucks begin a five-game road trip,

Despite the Bucks’ decline in the standings, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks agreed to take their time to make sure he made a full recovery. He admitted on Thursday that he believed a quick return from a groin injury suffered in November helped cause the calf injury.

“As a leader on this team, when we’re competing you feel like you’re not giving your team the best chance if you’re not there to help your team,” Antetokounmpo said. “You feel like it’s your fault. And instead of taking the proper time you come back and rush things.”