The Milwaukee Bucks approach the 2025-26 season missing the clear second option they've had behind Giannis Antetokounmpo for years. There will be no Damian Lillard. No Khris Middleton. Not even Jrue Holiday, so the Bucks could be in dangerous territory if their star misses time.
Instead, the team is fully committed to running through point-Giannis. Given his even greater role, navigating his minutes off the floor will be critical. More pressing than that, the whole roster model relies on Antetokounmpo staying healthy. It isn't fun to think about, but if he misses his typical 15 or so games, the Bucks will have a harder time covering for him than in years past. Any absence that extends beyond that and the season could be bogged down in disaster.
Bucks must balance necessity and savvy in load-management approach
There's no way around it. Even more so than in prior seasons, a lengthy Giannis injury absence would be a nightmare scenario that would tank the season in a hurry. National media networks would salivate over that one.
There is room for optimism, however. Demonstrating a solid baseline of durability, Giannis still hasn't had a season of under 60 games. Two seasons ago, he broke 70, a not-so-frequent feat in today's game. Earlier in his career, he reached 80 in three straight seasons and 72-plus in each of his first six.
The caveat, of course, is that he had younger legs then. While Antetokounmpo remains cemented in his prime, he is 30 now and does have some miles. He isn't an injury-prone superstar in the mold of Joel Embiid, but he has dealt with nagging issues in recent years. Since 2019-20, he's missed 15 to 20 games every season but one.
At least last year, conscious philosophy played a part. Particularly after missing the 2024 playoffs, Giannis and the Bucks prioritized staying healthy down the stretch at the expense of playing every game possible. It's a long season, filled with bumps and bruises. Being fresh for the postseason is a key consideration for every team.
Unfortunately, Milwaukee doesn't have the luxury of giving Giannis much extra rest this season. That's not to say he will play through discomfort when he shouldn't, but it will be manifestly more difficult to survive his absences. Before, the Bucks could simply hand the keys to Middleton, Holiday, or Lillard.
Roster can keep ship afloat if Bucks avoid long Giannis-less stretches
Omitting the meaningless regular-season finale, the Bucks did manage to go 7-7 without Giannis in 2024-25. In games missing both him and Lillard, they actually went 4-3. To be fair, Minnesota was the only above-.500 team they beat in those games. Breaking even during a Giannis sideline stint in 2025-26 will be more challenging.
Milwaukee isn't entirely without options, though none is a 20-point-per-game scorer. Myles Turner will help pick up the slack, and Kevin Porter Jr. has a massive opportunity as the starting point guard. Bobby Portis provides punch. Similar to Porter, Gary Trent Jr. is a breakout candidate. Having either guard approach his career scoring peak would do much to ease the load.
Indeed, Antetokounmpo's workload is another issue exaggerated by the roster construction. How is he supposed to stay fresh if he's doing literally everything: running the point, playing elite defense, dropping 30 points per game while fending off double teams in crunch time? It would be ideal to shave his minutes back down to 32 per night, but that might not be an option. A leap year from the likes of Porter or Trent won't replicate Lillard's production, but it would help.
Well-stocked with defensive grit and knock-down shooting, this roster can contend for the four or five seed in a weak Eastern Conference if Giannis stays healthy. They should have a stronger defense. Suppose Antetokounmpo suits up for about 68 to 70 games. Even if his teammates struggle in his absence, escaping the play-in with a 45-win season should remain in range.
Aside from Cleveland or New York, the projected top two seeds, no one in the East looks like a terrifying first-round opponent. The Milwaukee Bucks just have to get there. The way the team is built, operating within tight error margins is the price of admission.