Bucks get major update on chances of keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo, not trading him

The Milwaukee Bucks may trade Giannis Antetokounmpo on Thursday before the NBA's deadline. They also may keep their superstar.

Keeping him wouldn't stop there from being a trade in the summer, but it'd at least allow Milwaukee fans to keep Giannis around a little longer.

It doesn't feel like many of the NBA's recent bubbling trade situations, where fanbases are annoyed with the player for wanting out.

In Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo has become an ideal representative of the city. He brought a championship to the Bucks for the first time in 50 years.

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Fans understand Antetokounmpo's frustration with recent seasons. They have the same frustrations, just less control over them.

So there's a sort of acceptance that, yep, Giannis might get traded.

But you can get that there are a ton of Milwaukee fans who would prefer Antetokounmpo to stay put.

After a new report from ESPN's Brian Windhorst on Thursday, that seems more likely.

“I’ve been at 51-49 against a trade," Windhorst said of the idea of the Bucks trading Giannis at all. "I’m now at 60-40... Minnesota is still out there but I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think (Wolves') offer was as good as Golden State and if (Warriors') offer wasn’t good enough, I don’t think Minnesota is realistic. That leaves Miami. Miami is making a player and semi draft pick offer, it’s a decent offer... Unless there’s a secret thing going on I’m not feeling Giannis moving right now."

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That's still a pretty balanced scale, but it makes it clear that a Giannis trade is no sure thing.

If the assets aren't there from another team, there's no incentive for the Bucks to rush this.

And if the deadline comes and goes and Antetokounmpo hasn't gone anywhere, Milwaukee will get at least a few more months with one of its favorite athletes.

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