Giannis Antetokounmpo, in his own words, is hoping to add to his legacy by winning the 2024 NBA Cup. No matter how the title game versus the Oklahoma City Thunder shakes out, he will have the opportunity to share in more hoops glory with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Although few people expect the former Finals MVP to be playing for another team this season, one of the league's most distinguished insiders is definitively ruling out that possibility.

“There will be no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade this season,” ESPN's Shams Charania said on air before Bucks-Thunder tipped off in T-Mobile Arena. “Between the Cup and moving forward… his priority is putting himself in a position where he can have long-term sustained winning wherever that may be. Right now, it's Milwaukee.”

Things were looking bleak for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks

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Many fans will find Charania's statement to be unnecessary, considering the Bucks are one of the hottest squads in the NBA, but there was a time when Antetokounmpo was on the radar of several front office executives. Milwaukee stumbled to a 2-8 start in the 2024-25 campaign, magnifying the speculation that arose after back-to-back disappointing finishes in the playoffs. The face of the franchise was bogged down in uncertainty.

It might be tough to visualize his immediate future if the team was still struggling this season. He has remained loyal to the Bucks, though, and wants to lead them to another championship. Antetokounmpo is performing at an incredibly dominant level, posting 32.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 61.4 percent. His unyielding brilliance has given Milwaukee enough time to figure things out. The squad is now 14-11 and only one and a half games clear of third place in the Eastern Conference.

The NBA Cup would be nice, but the Larry O'Brien Trophy is the prize that can launch Antetokounmpo into a truly special place in basketball history. The two-time MVP and 2020 Defensive Player of the Year is trusting that he, Damian Lillard and the rest of the Doc Rivers-coached team can reach their full potential next summer.

Thankfully, the Fiserv Forum fanatics can look that far ahead and know that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be wearing a No. 34 Bucks uniform. The more this group accomplishes, the less likely it is that trade rumors will surface.