Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis publicly stated that teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo will not return to the court this season, citing both the team’s eliminated playoff status and broader business considerations surrounding a potential trade.
Portis, entering his sixth season with Milwaukee, made the remarks during an appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” The Bucks were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention Saturday, sitting at 29-45 with eight games remaining.
“I don’t think he’ll play another game this year, for sure,” Portis said. “Just being smart as a pro, right now, I don’t think it’s smart for him to play.”
Antetokounmpo has suited up for just 36 games this season amid a string of injuries. He has missed the club’s last seven contests following a left knee hyperextension. The Athletic previously reported he resisted the organization’s suggestion to shut him down entirely.
A dispute over his status has intensified in recent days. The National Basketball Players Association released a statement claiming Antetokounmpo is healthy and the Bucks are preventing his return. Doc Rivers directly contested that assertion, maintaining the star has not received medical clearance.
Portis did not shy away from the trade speculation surrounding the two-time MVP.
“If y’all talking about trading him, you don’t want any injury to knock value off or whatever,” Portis said. “That’s just business-wise, and then player-wise, obviously, you gotta look at just the total picture of what’s going on. We’re 10 games behind for the 10th seed and (with) nine games left, we can’t even make up ground.”
Bucks general manager Jon Horst fielded trade inquiries ahead of the February deadline before opting to retain Antetokounmpo. Renewed discussions are anticipated this offseason.
