Two days after the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade became very real, the Milwaukee Bucks did an excellent job of showing why that’s the case.
Facing the Washington Wizards, who had the lowest record in the league with 11 wins, the Bucks lost 109-99 and their record dropped to 18-28. They remain in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, 4.5 games away from a playoff spot.
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Antetokounmpo has not played since Friday due to a calf strain and is expected to miss four to six weeks. In his absence, Myle Turner led the Bucks in scoring with 21 points, plus a team-high 14 rebounds and 6 blocks. As a team, Milwaukee shot 41-for-98 from the field (41.8%), 10-for-38 from 3-point range (26.3%), and outrebounded 61-43.
Keyshawn George of the Wizards had 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and Alex Sarr had 16 points, 17 rebounds and 2 blocks. It’s a special night for Washington, D.C., which will host the retirement ceremony of former franchise great John Wall.
The win effectively takes the Wizards from the worst record in basketball history to just fourth at 12-34, while the Indiana Pacers (12-36), the Sacramento Kings (12-37) and the New Orleans Pelicans (12-37) are all now worse. Considering the stakes for the 2026 NBA Draft, this isn’t necessarily a win.
The Bucks are not in a good situation right now. (Photo by Scott Teich/Getty Images)
(Scott Teich via Getty Images)
In an article published by ESPN on Tuesday, potential trade partners reportedly said the Bucks are “more open than ever” to moving on from Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks have been hesitant to make this move, but the team’s recent woes and Antetokounmpo’s potential decline at age 31 make the idea more feasible than ever.
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The Bucks don’t need to move the 10-time All-Star before next month’s NBA trade deadline, especially if they believe they can get more for him in the summer. If the door does open, there will be no shortage of interested contenders.
