Bucks must convince Giannis that painful truth is best for both of them

As constructed, the Milwaukee Bucks are not a playoff team. That is even more obvious with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined until late February at least. A last-ditch trade won't save their season. As painful as it is, the Bucks should focus on securing draft position to build for the future. Losing should come naturally for as long as Giannis remains out.

As he nears his return, however, following through on that painful pivot may require asking him to do something he never has: sit out games he doesn't have to, possibly the entire rest of the year. Giannis won't like it. The Bucks may have to put their foot down. In a lost season, keeping him off the floor is their top tool to ensure a lottery pick this June. 

Losing games, preserving Giannis could be win-win scenario

It's important to note off the bat that the Bucks don't have a straight-fire shot at a traditional tank. As the season ends, they will receive the worst of their pick and the Pelicans' pick. Atlanta owns the more favorable selection. 

The Bucks will not reap the full-benefit of a hard-core tank in the event that the lottery gods gift them a better pick than New Orleans. Still, by losing, they could jump several places from their current projected selection at No. 9. The higher up in the draft, the more each spot matters. 

This is already a bad team. At 18-26, Milwaukee sits 11th in the East, two-and-a-half games out of the Play-in. Given Giannis' initial four to six week timeline, the Bucks have nine more scheduled games before his soonest estimated return. Missing Giannis this season, they have gone 3-11. Who knows how far out of the picture they might be by then.

If he came back at the tail end of the timeline, the Bucks would play an additional eight games without him. At that point, in early March, they would have 20 to 21 games left, depending on when Sunday's postponement with Dallas is made up. Back on the court, Giannis could require a ramp-up period similar to what followed his return from the calf strain he suffered in December. 

How hard would it be to extend his sideline stint two, three, four more weeks? How often have Bucks fans seen other losing teams do the same with their star players down the stretch? It's not a stretch. There's precedent. 

It would also contradict everything Giannis stands for. Last time, he fought his way back from an identical four to six week estimate to return after just 24 days. It's possible he could do it again. A superhuman drive to compete is just in his nature. Without it, he wouldn't have played through evident discomfort against Denver, willing his team back from 20 points down. He left the court only when his gait was reduced to a hobble.

That same competitive spirit could make Giannis an unwilling participant in a tanking strategy. He's never played fewer than 61 games in a season. If he remains in Milwaukee past the trade deadline, though, missing as many games as possible could serve his own best interests. If the Bucks aren't winning, there's no reason for him to risk further injury or add to the wear and tear on his body. Instead, it would be an opportunity to recover, bringing his best self into next season - as a Buck or elsewhere. 

If he stays, having a valuable draft pick in the quiver would only increase the team's chances of competing next season, either by trading it on draft night or adding an impact player out of college. From the Bucks' perspective, it goes without saying that even if an offseason trade feels inevitable, keeping Giannis healthy and his trade stock high is a no-brainer. 

Playing it safe, even overly so, would not be the worst thing for Giannis. Given their connection to Achilles injuries, calf issues aren't something to take lightly. Several superstars have found out the hard way in recent years, from Kevin Durant to Tyrese Haliburton. On the wrong side of 30, on a team on the wrong side of the Play-in field, embracing an abundance of caution might be the way to go. 

The hard part would be convincing Giannis, navigating the friction that could come with such an approach. How much his cooperation matters depends on his and the Bucks' plans for the future. If he already has one foot out the door, Milwaukee has a lot less to lose by incurring his wrath.