Giannis May Have Played Final Milwaukee Bucks Game

Merlin sees a major turning point: ESPN’s Marc Spears declared, "I think he's played his last game in a Bucks uniform." Marc Stein says multiple teams are "trying to engage" Milwaukee, yet there is "no clear-cut indication" the Bucks will move him before the draft. Giannis is out with a calf issue projected at four to six weeks and Doc Rivers said "there's no timetable" and that the team has "no thought" about resting him. Milwaukee sits 11th at 18-26, so how they handle his availability reshapes draft leverage and trade chatter. Merlin predicts a fork in the road. If the Bucks want a top pick or a pre-deadline haul they may keep Giannis off the floor to protect value; if they chase wins they will play him and limit trade returns. Either way, the next weeks will reveal Milwaukee’s appetite to rebuild or contend.