{"id":667285,"date":"2026-03-19T18:02:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T18:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/667285\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T18:02:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T18:02:26","slug":"here-we-go-again-with-giannis-antetokounmpo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/667285\/","title":{"rendered":"Here we go again with Giannis Antetokounmpo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here we go again<\/a> with Giannis Antetokounmpo.<\/p>\n

The two-time NBA MVP and the Milwaukee Bucks are in disagreement<\/a> about how to approach the end of the season, according to multiple reports. The Bucks would like to tank, which is easier to do if Antetokounmpo can\u2019t return from his hyperextended left knee for the rest of the year, only he still wants to come back as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

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Someone wanted us to know this, even though it does not look good for anybody. It is as if everyone else knows they are headed for a divorce at season\u2019s end but them.<\/p>\n

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There is little room for the Bucks (28-40) to move in the standings. Only the Chicago Bulls (28-41) are within four games of them on either side. They will not win enough to catch the Charlotte Hornets (35-34) for 10th place in the Eastern Conference or lose enough to match the Memphis Grizzlies (24-44) for the NBA\u2019s eighth-worst record.<\/p>\n

Really, they are worried about out-tanking the Bulls. The Bucks hold the league\u2019s 10th-worst record and a 13.9% chance at a top-four pick. But if they can out-lose Chicago, those odds improve to 20.3%. However, if the pick ends up higher than New Orleans, it conveys to the Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee would receive the Pelicans\u2019 pick. It is very complicated. Know this: The Bucks will most likely pick ninth or 10th in the draft.<\/p>\n

\"MILWAUKEE,<\/p>\n

Giannis Antetokounmpo is hoping to return this season from a hyperextended knee injury. (Photo by Patrick McDermott\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

(Patrick McDermott via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

There is, however, a slim chance<\/a> both Atlanta and Milwaukee move into the top four.<\/p>\n

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Are a few more ping-pong balls worth furthering a divide with Antetokounmpo, whose commitment to the organization has remained in question all season? Let him play, if it\u2019s going to convince him to stay. But we\u2019ve probably passed that point.<\/p>\n

So, don\u2019t play. That is what is best for the Bucks, after all.<\/p>\n

Either way, it\u2019s not that big a deal, until they made one of it and let us all in on the argument. Why can\u2019t the Bucks see that it is not so bad if Antetokounmpo wants to play out the season? And why can\u2019t Antetokounmpo see that it is better for them if he doesn\u2019t? Because neither party is interested in meeting in the middle anymore.<\/p>\n

They are operating in their own best interests now. It is best for Antetokounmpo if he plays, I guess, because then he can say, \u201cI never quit on Milwaukee,\u201d and we can say, \u201cHe\u2019s the type of guy who just wants to compete,\u201d even at the risk to his own health.<\/p>\n

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It is best for the Bucks if he sits, for sure, because they are being outscored 9.5 points per 100 meaningful possessions when he is on the bench, according to Cleaning the Glass, and if that continues they just might pick ahead of Chicago. Milwaukee also does not risk Antetokounmpo\u2019s trade value on his potential injury.<\/p>\n

Either way, it is a silly argument to be having in public, partly because the Bucks could now be fined for so brazenly circumnavigating the NBA\u2019s anti-tanking rules.<\/p>\n

But mostly because nothing has changed. It always made more sense<\/a> for the Bucks to trade Antetokounmpo in the offseason, when a number of potential suitors \u2014\u00a0the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers among them \u2014\u00a0can improve their offers.<\/p>\n

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Yet, we\u2019ve heard throughout the season every iota of Antetokounmpo\u2019s uneasiness. We get it, man. It doesn\u2019t make sense for you and the Bucks to be together anymore.<\/p>\n

Let us know when the divorce is finalized. Otherwise, keep it down, Milwaukee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here we go again with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time NBA MVP and the Milwaukee Bucks are in disagreement…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":667286,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3775],"tags":[676,7,103,473,329,123,150,177,102,121,3871,6,478,191,675,361],"class_list":{"0":"post-667285","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-milwaukee-bucks","8":"tag-atlanta","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-bucks","11":"tag-charlotte-hornets","12":"tag-chicago-bulls","13":"tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","14":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","15":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","16":"tag-milwaukee","17":"tag-milwaukee-bucks","18":"tag-milwaukeebucks","19":"tag-nba","20":"tag-new-orleans","21":"tag-new-york-knicks","22":"tag-pelicans","23":"tag-the-bucks"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116257159187258713","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=667285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/667285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/667286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=667285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=667285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=667285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}