News broke out a few days ago that Milwaukee Bucks forward Thon Maker has requested to be traded as he reportedly isn't happy with his role with the team.

Even though the Bucks have steamrolled to the top of the Eastern Conference with a 35-12 record, Maker hasn't been able to see consistent playing time with the team. After averaging around 17 minutes last season, his playing time dropped to 11 minutes this year.

Maker had a chance to speak to JSOnline's Matt Velasquez to address the issue, and he denied the report that he wanted out of Milwaukee, saying he has nothing but love for the Bucks.

Q: How far in advance did you know that story was going to come out? Did you know it was going to come out?

A: No, no. I’ve been focused on the game, like every single game all year just like I always do. I’m a winner. I focus on the games and that’s all that matters to me. I’ve never just said things recklessly without thinking about it or talking to people about it. I always go back to my people and talk to them about it. I just focus on the game; that’s all I’ve done so far.

Q: For you, does it end up distracting you? Obviously, you’re going to focus on the game, but when something like that comes out I would assume there would be some level of distraction to it.

A: Me, I’m just focusing on the games, man. I love this game so much, I can’t let anything distract me. Like if something happens within a family or something happens to a friend or something like that, I always find a way to focus back on the game. I love Milwaukee. I really want you guys to get this down. I love Milwaukee, I love the fans, the city – it works hard, I work hard and I’ve always done that since the first day I decided to play basketball.

Despite all the rumors, the Bucks are reportedly still high on Maker, as they believe he hasn't peaked yet.

But does benching the former 10th overall pick really help his development? There will be teams who would want to take a flier on the untapped potential of Maker. The Bucks could explore their options if it means further strengthening their roster, especially now that they're primed for a deep postseason run.