With less than two weeks to go in the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks aren't fighting for playoff seeding. They know their fate, as after Saturday's loss to the Spurs, they were eliminated from the postseason altogether. That alone should make Giannis Antetokounmpo think twice about returning (subscription required), if he is able, as Marc Stein of The Stein Line pointed out.
"Whether Milwaukee intends to keep or trade the 31-year-old this offseason, it needs Antetokounmpo, first and foremost, to get right physically. Absolutely nothing can be gained by letting him return now."
The NBPA released a statement last week suggesting that Antetokounmpo is healthy but that Milwaukee refuses to play him for tanking purposes. That's not the case. He is out with a hyperextended knee. We all saw him tweak it during the Bucks' win over the Pacers on March 15. It's not like the team created a "fake" injury.
If he is cleared to play again, imagine what would happen if Milwaukee let him play and he suffered a far more serious injury. You have to appreciate his desire to play, no matter the circumstances, but it's not just about the Bucks' future; it's also about his. He will be extension-eligible on Oct. 1.
Giannis shouldn't play in another Bucks game this season
It's not like Milwaukee still has a small hope of making the play-in, giving Antetokounmpo something to fight for. The situation isn't like what's happening in San Francisco with Steph Curry, as the Warriors can't fall lower than play-in range. Their postseason outlook doesn't look good, but hey, as long as there's a chance, the superstar guard will do what he can to be out there.
The Bucks don't have that, though. For someone who has been hampered with injuries the past few seasons, the last thing they want is for Giannis to go down in a meaningless game. As Stein said, Milwaukee needs him to be at his best physically, whether he stays or goes this summer.
We know that Antetokounmpo wants to be in a position to win a second title, even if that means leaving the Bucks. The soonest he can reach that mountaintop again is at age 32. No one wants injuries to be an even larger concern for him as he gets older, so why put him in a position to potentially hurt his chances of winning another title by having him suit up again this season?
Sure, it'd be nice for Milwaukee to have what could be a final farewell to Giannis, but that's not worth sacrificing part of next season (or even all of it).