While our Chicago Bulls embark on some very belated, much-needed housecleaning, the rest of the basketball world has remained typically dramatic.
Let’s take a post-NCAA championship game lap around the league (and some college) to see what’s happening in the hoops world.
Antetokounmpo-Bucks Chaos Continues
ESPN’s Shams Charania unveiled an explosive new report on the worsening relationship between 10-time All-Star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks — the only NBA team he’s ever known.
Milwaukee (31-47 on the year) is now doomed to miss the playoffs entirely for the first time since 2015, after general manager Jon Horst’s disastrous summer decision to stretch-and-waive Damian Lillard’s remaining contract and overpay Myles Turner backfired spectacularly and various Antetokounmpo injuries kept the two-time MVP shelved for much of the season.
Milwaukee is just 17-19 with Antetokounmpo available this year — but has gone a way worse 14-28 when he has sat through five different injuries. He claims that he’s healthy and available to suit up, but that the tanking Bucks don’t want to play him.
Charania emphasizes that Antetokounmpo communicated to the Bucks ahead of this season’s trade deadline that he was “prepared to be moved,” while noting that he didn’t officially demand a trade. That sure seems like more an issue of semantics than an actual desire to stay.
One of the game’s best players for the last decade, the 2021 champ has struggled with his health throughout the last several seasons. Declining athleticism has also impeded his efficacy as an all-world defender. Exactly how much does Antetokounmpo have left in the tank? What will teams be willing to give up this summer to acquire a rapidly aging 31-year-old with a player option for 2027-28?
“This is as toxic of a team situation as any in the league,” a source close to the team informed Charania. “They waited until the very end on Giannis, and now everyone knows.”
At least some level of seismic change appears to be impending for Cream City. The Stein Line’s Marc Stein suggests Rivers is not expected to remain in Milwaukee past this year.
© Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesBrown, Anderson, Philon, More Declare for 2026 NBA Draft
Several projected first-round picks have declared for what’s shaping up to be one of the most loaded draft classes in recent memory (supposedly).
20-year-old Louisville freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr., who was limited to just 21 healthy contests due to back issues, will leave school for consideration in this summer’s draft, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. He’s expected to be a lottery selection. We mocked him to Charlotte just outside of the lottery on Monday, but there’s certainly a chance he’s off the board by then. There are just a ton of guards in this year’s class.
Jonathan Givony of Draft Express reports that sophomore Texas Tech point guard Christian Anderson has declared for the 2026 Draft. Anderson is currently predicted to be the No. 19 pick via ESPN’s latest board. Another expected first-rounder, All-SEC junior Texas swingman Dailyn Swain, is also declaring for the draft, Givony adds.
Sophomore Alabama guard Labaron Philon, the No. 21 pick on that ESPN board, revealed on his Instagram that he, too, is headed for the draft this summer.
© Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesWestern Conference Playoff Picture in Flux
After an overtime comeback victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, the Denver Nuggets have now vaulted into the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, behind the uncatchable Oklahoma City Thunder (62-16) and San Antonio Spurs (60-19).
At 51-28, Denver is now a half-game ahead of the 50-28 Los Angeles Lakers. LA will be without its two best players, guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, for likely most of the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers have thus become the most desirable top-six team for opposing West clubs, outflanking the healthier Houston Rockets.
Sporting a 49-29 record, Houston occupies the No. 5 seed and stands three games clear of the current No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
If you’re Denver, would you rather play a healthy Minnesota squad in the first round or the Fred VanVleet-less Rockets? The Lakers are effectively cooked before the postseason. If Houston plays Los Angeles, Kevin Durant and co. might actually win a playoff series!
The Thunder and Spurs are waiting to see how the play-in tournament shakes out. The 43-35 Phoenix Suns and 40-38 LA Clippers are the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds and have the inside track on playoff berths, but the 40-39 Portland Trail Blazers and 36-42 Golden State Warriors might have something to say about that. Probably not, but maybe.
Odds & Ends
Will anybody projected to contend for MVP honors actually play enough games to even make the cut, under the league’s new CBA? Luka Doncic is likely done for the rest of the regular season at 64 games, although he’s filing for a league exemption. Now, two-time All-Star Spurs center Victor Wembanyama’s health may limit him to fewer than the league’s 65-game cutoff. He departed a Monday clash with the Philadelphia 76ers due to a rib injury, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Charania notes that the Defensive Player of the Year contender is unlikely to suit up for San Antonio’s next game against the Portland Trail Blazers, but is expected to suit up for at least one more game this season. Because he played during the NBA Cup final (which normally does not count towards the regular season games-played tally), Wembanyama can appear in just 64 games to be award-eligible. Frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has already appeared in 66 contests, while three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has only been available for 64. Two other All-Stars who might have been in the running for All-NBA First Team consideration, Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham and Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards, will also miss out on the league’s 65-game cutoff for end-of-year honors. That said, Cunningham is reportedly on the mend from his collapsed lung, and he and center Isaiah Stewart could be back even before the start of the playoffs, per ESPN. Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. will go under the knife for a season-ending right knee scope, Milwaukee has revealed. He’s been on the shelf since March 17. He already had surgery to address a torn meniscus in his left knee earlier this year. He’s in the first season of a two-year, $10.5 million deal. Will he pick up his player option for next season, with Antetokounmpo potentially on the move? Journeyman reserve center Tony Bradley, a former Bull under the AKME regime, has signed on with the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks to shore up their frontline for the rest of the season, the team has announced. Most recently, he had been on a 10-day deal with the Indiana Pacers in January. He’ll help fill in for reserve center Jock Landale, who’s on the shelf with a high right ankle sprain right now.Hence then, the article about around the nba more bucks drama ncaa stars declare for draft west playoff seed jockeying more was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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