NBPA rebukes Bucks over Giannis Antetokounmpo dispute

The National Basketball Players Association rebuked the Bucks over their dispute with Giannis Antetokounmpo, implying that Milwaukee is “tanking” and damaging the NBA’s integrity by wanting to shut down the All-Star forward for the rest of the season.

Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania last week that Antetokounmpo refused the Bucks’ request to sit out the remainder of the season. The two-time NBA MVP has remained adamant about returning to the court this season, believing he is not risking any further injury, sources told ESPN.

In a statement Tuesday, the players’ association cited the NBA’s anti-tanking rules, adding that Antetokounmpo is “healthy and ready to play.”

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in its statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

The Bucks announced last week that Antetokounmpo would be sidelined by a left knee injury, the latest health setback in an injury-plagued season for the 10-time All-Star. Milwaukee did not provide a timeline for Antetokounmpo’s return, but sources told Charania that he would miss at least a week because of a hyperextended knee with a bone bruise.

Antetokounmpo, 31, landed awkwardly after a dunk during the third quarter of Milwaukee’s game against the Indiana Pacers on March 15. Although he said he felt like he could play through the injury, the Bucks sat him for the rest of the contest.

Milwaukee (29-42) is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Charlotte Hornets by eight games for 10th place and the final spot in the play-in tournament.

Antetokounmpo has missed 35 games this season, the most of his career. The Bucks are 12-23 without Antetokounmpo in the lineup this season and 17-19 when he plays.

With the Bucks’ chances for a 10th straight playoff berth looking increasingly unlikely, coach Doc Rivers was asked last week whether the risks of Antetokounmpo getting hurt outweigh the potential reward of putting him back on the floor.

“That’s a good question,” Rivers said. “I don’t have the answer, but it’s a very good question.”

ESPN’s Jamal Collier and The Associated Press contributed to this report.