NBPA Calls Out Bucks Wanting to Shut Down Giannis Due to Injury, Eyes Anti-Tanking Rule Changes

The National Basketball Players Association has gotten involved in the rift between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks about his playing status for the remainder of the season.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the NBPA called out the NBA for not properly enforcing the player participation policy and cited anti-taking policies being "only as effective as their enforcement" from the league.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported last week that the Bucks want to shut down Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season after he suffered a hyperextended knee and bone bruise in a win over the Indiana Pacers on March 15.

However, Antetokounmpo has "refused" the team's requests and wants to play this season.

Asked about the risks of Antetokounmpo potentially suffering a more significant injury potentially outweighing the reward of him playing in games, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers told reporters prior to a March 17 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that he didn't have an answer.

"That's a good question," Rivers said. "I don't have the answer, but it's a very good question."

Antetokounmpo has now missed four straight games. His knee injury was going to be reevaluated one week after it happened, so an update could come either today or sometime before Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Even when Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup on March 2 after missing five weeks due to a strained calf, the Bucks didn't play any better as they tried to salvage any playoff hopes. They went 2-4 in the six games he played before injuring his knee.

Tanking has been at the center of much of the NBA discussion post-trade deadline as several teams don't seem to be putting their best foot forward to win. That was readily apparent on Feb. 12 when the league issued fines to both the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers.

The Jazz were fined $500,000 for conduct detrimental to the league for not playing Lauri Markkanen or Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of games against the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat when both players were healthy and the games were competitive.

Indiana was docked $100,000 for violating the player participation policy after a review from an independent physician determined that Pascal Siakam and two other Pacers starters who were ruled out for a Feb. 3 game against the Jazz could have played.

If the Bucks are going to start seriously engaging in trade discussion for Antetokounmpo in the offseason, it would be in their best interest to shut him down because he has already sustained multiple significant injuries this season.

Antetokounmpo has had two different calf strains that kept him out for a combined eight weeks, plus the current knee injury that has held him out for four games so far. The two-time NBA MVP has missed at least 15 games in five of six seasons since 2020-21.

This season will mark the first time Antetokounmpo won't reach the 50-game threshold for the first time in his 13-year career.

The Bucks (29-42) are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. They are eight games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the final play-in spot and their magic number to be eliminated from contention is three.