Bucks reportedly approach Antetokounmpo about sitting out remainder of season
Authored by zh-ayx-sports.com, Mar 25, 2026
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was not traded before the NBA trade deadline last month. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has spent his entire professional career with the Bucks since being drafted 15th overall in 2013.[1]
The Bucks fired coach Mike Budenholzer on May 23, 2023, after a second-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat.[2] Doc Rivers replaced him as head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season.[3] Recent seasons have included early postseason exits, fueling speculation about Antetokounmpo's future.
The Athletic reported that the Bucks approached Antetokounmpo about shutting him down for the rest of the 2025-26 regular season due to a knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The forward, averaging 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds in 36 games, last played in a 134-123 win over the Indiana Pacers on March 15. With 12 games remaining and slim play-in hopes, Antetokounmpo expressed willingness to return once medically cleared.
The reported difference in views prompted a response from the National Basketball Players Association. "The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court," the NBPA statement read. The union called for stronger enforcement against tanking.
The NBA's Player Participation Policy, approved by the Board of Governors in April 2023, requires players who appear in at least 50 games to play in 65 regular-season games and specified high-profile matchups to combat load management.[4] The Bucks play home games at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[5]
Sources
- NBA. "Giannis Antetokounmpo." Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.nba.com/player/203997/giannis-antetokounmpo
- NBA. "Bucks Relieve Mike Budenholzer of Coaching Duties." May 23, 2023. https://www.nba.com/news/bucks-relieve-mike-budenholzer-of-coaching-duties
- NBA Milwaukee Bucks. "Doc Rivers introduced as next head coach." July 31, 2023. https://www.nba.com/bucks/news/doc-rivers-next-head-coach
- NBA. "NBA Approves Player Participation Policy Highlights." April 19, 2023. https://www.nba.com/news/nba-approves-player-participation-policy-highlights
- Milwaukee Bucks. "Fiserv Forum." Accessed March 29, 2026. https://www.nba.com/bucks/fiserv-forum