Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks at odds regarding his status for rest of season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo are at odds regarding the star forward’s status for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season.
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As an organization, the Bucks want to shut down Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the current campaign, but Antetokounmpo is against this idea and wants to play again this season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Antetokounmpo has already missed 32 games this season due to injury issues and now he’s sidelined again with a hyperextension and a bone bruise in his left knee. He’s expected to miss at least a week of action due to this latest injury.
The Bucks currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference standings at 28-40. They’re six-and-a-half games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the final spot in the Play-In Tournament with 14 games remaining on their regular season slate.
While not impossible, the odds of the Bucks qualifying for postseason play at this point are pretty slim, especially with a banged-up Antetokounmpo.
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Given their current standing in the conference, the Bucks likely want to prioritize draft position, while also preserving Antetokounmpo’s health for the future, as opposed to forcing a last-ditch playoff push. The ultra-competitive Antetokounmpo, however, doesn’t want to waive the white flag on the season.
So, the two sides are basically in a stare down right now. Let’s see who blinks first.
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