The season may be lost for the Milwaukee Bucks, but fans still took solace in the opportunity to watch Giannis Antetokounmpo go to work every day. Soon, even that luxury may be taken from them as both he and the Bucks head toward a pivotal offseason.
While he may yet return to play the Bucks’ final game this season, he won’t be on the court to face the Nets tomorrow, meaning that he won’t be present for the team’s final home game of the year. In fact, Giannis hasn’t played at Fiserv Forum since March 15th, in a 134-123 win over the Pacers.
With the game set for tomorrow, the Bucks went ahead and released their full injury report, featuring Giannis (Left Knee Hyperextension; Bone Bruise), Kevin Porter Jr. (Right Knee Surgery), Bobby Portis Jr. (Left Wrist Sprain), and Gary Trent Jr. (Internal Oblique Muscle Strain), who were all ruled out. The Nets have yet to announce their availability, but it hardly matters with so little at stake.
At this point, both the Nets and Bucks have nothing left to play for. In fact, the chance to say goodbye to Giannis was arguably the only thing that made it worth watching for fans. It was also important to the Nets, who would have used the game to gauge their interest in Giannis. What makes it worse is that the Greek superstar is perfectly healthy and has even publicly accused the Bucks of trying to prevent him from playing.
Nevertheless, Milwaukee continues to hold firm and maintain that they have every reason to keep Giannis off the court. With a divorce seen as inevitable, it’s not in their interests to risk Giannis’ health and ruin his value going into the offseason. As a two-time MVP and NBA champion with averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game this season, the Bucks can get a massive haul in exchange for Antetokounmpo, but they need him to be healthy to get a maximum return.
For now, the Bucks are still planning their next move, but their situation with Giannis has never been more unstable. As his loyalty teeters, the team is already looking ahead to pathways to securing a favorable deal. Meanwhile, Giannis and his fans are looking back on the legacy he’s leaving behind. Over 13 years with the Bucks, he emerged as one of their greatest players ever, making 10 All-Star teams and capturing two MVP awards.
His crowning achievement was in 2021, when he led the Bucks to a championship. With averages of 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists against the Suns that year, he was named Finals MVP. In the end, that run feat secured Giannis’ loyalty for several more years, but he has yet to replicate that success. In fact, it’s gotten downright ugly for the Bucks after repeated failures with co-stars like Damian Lillard and Myles Turner.
At 31, Giannis is still in the prime of his career, but he’s on the verge of a major crossroads. As much as he’s ready for a change of scenery, the Bucks have control of his fate with another two years and $120 million left on his contract (after this season). It will be up to the front office, and specifically GM Jon Horst, to decide what to do with Giannis, but they’ve made it clear they will prioritize whatever is in the best interest of the team.
