Giannis Resisting Bucks’ Plan To Shut Him Down For Season
It has been an injury-plagued season for star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has appeared in just 36 of the Bucks‘ 68 games due to knee, groin, ankle, and calf issues and is currently sidelined due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.
With just 14 games left in the regular season and Milwaukee now six-and-a-half games out of a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks have made it clear to Antetokounmpo that they believe it would be in both parties’ best interest to have him sit out the rest of the season and focus on getting healthy for 2026/27, reports Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
However, Antetokounmpo isn’t on board with the Bucks plan and has let the team know he wants to get back on the court immediately once he has recovered from his latest injury, according to Nehm.
Confirming Nehm’s reporting, Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links) says there have been multiple meetings about Antetokounmpo’s status within the past 24 hours and that the two sides disagree about the best path forward. In an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link), Charania added that the 31-year-old has been “adamant” about his desire to return this season.
The Bucks must tread especially carefully with Antetokounmpo due to their desire to keep him happy in the hopes of reaching an agreement on a long-term extension with him when he becomes eligible this October. Milwaukee reportedly entertained trade offers for Giannis prior to last month’s deadline, but never came close to making a deal involving the two-time MVP, who didn’t request a trade and has repeatedly stated that his preference would be to stick with the Bucks if they have a roster capable of contending for another championship.
While they don’t want to upset their franchise player, the Bucks presumably recognize they have no path to a playoff spot this spring and would be better off sliding a little further down the lottery standings. They don’t technically control their own 2026 first-round pick, but the Bucks will receive the least favorable of their own selection and the Pelicans’ pick. At 28-40, Milwaukee remains several games ahead of New Orleans (23-46) in the standings, so even the least favorable of those two first-rounders should be a top-10 selection.
Of course, shutting down Antetokounmpo for the final few weeks of the season would also ensure that he gets a head-start on getting back to 100% health, whereas having him play in meaningless games in late March and early April would put him at risk of re-aggravating one of his previous injuries or suffering a more significant one.
Whether the Bucks plan to revisit trade talks involving their star forward or try to continue reshaping the roster around him during the offseason, having him fully healthy would be in the team’s best interest going forward.
Bucks’ Nance Among Two-Way Players Nearing Game Limit
Bucks forward Pete Nance had one of his best games of the season in Tuesday’s loss to Cleveland, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, grabbing seven rebounds, and blocking two shots. Although Milwaukee lost the game by a score of 123-116, Nance was a +7 during his 30 minutes of action.
As Keith Smith of Spotrac observes (via Twitter), it was the 29th consecutive game – and the 47th overall – in which Nance was active. That’s important because the 26-year-old is on a two-way contract, which comes with a limit of 50 active games.
The Bucks still have 14 games left on their regular season schedule, but if they want Nance to be active for more than three of those contests, they’d have to promote him to their standard 15-man roster, which is currently full.
Most promotions from a two-way contract to a standard deal in a given league year occur between the trade deadline and March 4. That way, teams don’t prematurely fill a roster spot they might need for a deadline deal and have the ability to back-fill a newly opened two-way slot on or before March 4, the deadline to sign players to two-way contracts. Promoting a two-way player to the 15-man roster after that deadline means that a club would have to leave one of its two-way slots open for the rest of the season.
Promotions can still happen between March 5 and the end of the regular season, but it’s a less pressing priority for teams who don’t have 15-man roster spots available and/or won’t need their two-way standouts for the postseason. The Bucks, whose playoff chances are on life support, probably fall into both of those categories, so it will be interesting to see whether they feel compelled to make a move with Nance as he nears his 50-game limit.
Here are the other players are on two-way contracts around the NBA who have fewer than 10 games of eligibility remaining (their remaining games are noted in parentheses):
- Moussa Cisse, Mavericks (4)
JD Davison, Rockets (4)
Tyrese Martin, Sixers (4) - Caleb Love, Trail Blazers (5)
David Roddy, Nuggets (5) - Tristan Enaruna, Cavaliers (6)
Blake Hinson, Jazz (6)
Rayan Rupert, Grizzlies (6)
Payton Sandfort, Thunder (6)
Dalen Terry, Sixers (6) - Norchad Omier, Clippers (7)
Nate Williams, Warriors (7) - Patrick Baldwin Jr., Kings (8)
Jamal Cain, Magic (8)
Julian Reese, Wizards (8) - Trevor Keels, Heat (9)
KJ Simpson, Nuggets (9)
Jalen Slawson, Pacers (9)
Ethan Thompson, Pacers (9)
Chris Youngblood, Trail Blazers (9)
Some of these players were just signed a couple weeks ago and didn’t have that many games of two-way eligibility to begin with, so the fact that they’re nearing their limit isn’t a big deal for their respective teams.
Sandfort, for instance, joined the Thunder on March 2, giving him 12 total games of regular season eligibility. He has been active for six, but has a DNP-CD in all of them. It’s safe to assume Oklahoma City won’t be looking to find a way to promote him to its standard roster.
Others on this list were regular contributors earlier in the season but have been deactivated since they got close to their respective limits. Cisse, for example, was at 42 active games at the trade deadline, but has been in the Mavericks’ lineup for just four of 18 contests since then. Davison and Love are among the others who have found themselves exiled to the inactive list on a permanent basis in recent weeks. Their teams have gotten by without them lately and don’t appear to be prioritizing promotions.
That doesn’t mean none of these players will be converted to standard contracts by April 12 though. The Jazz, Warriors, and Magic are among the teams that have open roster spots, so Hinson, Williams, and Cain, each of whom has been seeing a decent amount of playing time recently, should be considered candidates to fill those openings.
And-Ones: M. Brown, AP All-Americans, Senior Prospects, More
Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr.., widely considered a top-10 prospect in the 2026 NBA draft class, won’t be suiting up for the Cardinals this week as the NCAA tournament tips off.
The University of Louisville announced on Wednesday that Brown continues to deal with the back issues that have plagued him for much of the season and won’t play in Thursday’s game vs. South Florida (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports). He also won’t be ready to return for the round of 32 game this weekend if the Cardinals advance.
Brown averaged 18.2 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game as a freshman in 2025/26, but he was limited to 21 outings and hasn’t played since February 28. Even if Louisville advances to the Sweet 16 and Brown is able to return next week, NBA teams figure to be keeping a close eye on his medical testing results at the draft combine this spring.
Here are a few other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The Associated Press’ NCAA All-American first team for the 2025/26 season is heavy on freshmen, writes Dave Skretta of The Associated Press. Duke’s Cameron Boozer was unanimously voted to the first team, while BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. also made the cut alongside Texas Tech junior JT Toppin and Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg. Among other top freshman prospects, UNC’s Caleb Wilson and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler were named second team All-Americans, while Houston’s Kingston Flemings made the third team and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson earned an honorable mention.
- The influx of NIL money in college basketball has made senior prospects more appealing than they used to be, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who observes that most NBA-level prospects didn’t used to spend four (or more) years playing NCAA basketball but now may be incentivized to do so based on the money they can earn in college. With that in mind, Hollinger singles out 12 senior prospects worth watching in this year’s NCAA tournament, including UConn forward Alex Karaban, Purdue guard Braden Smith, and Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz.
- Several of ESPN’s NBA insiders preview the storylines to watch ahead of the playoffs, taking a look at the most crucial questions playing the top contenders in each conference and assessing which lower-seeded playoff team might be the most intriguing postseason sleeper — Zach Kram thinks the Heat fit that bill, noting that they’ve played some of their best basketball lately and are only three years removed from making the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed.
Knicks Notes: Hart, Bridges, McBride, Diawara, Clarkson
With Jalen Brunson (right ankle injury management / neck strain) inactive on Tuesday, Knicks forward Josh Hart stepped up to carry some of the offensive load, pouring in 33 points against the Pacers while making 12-of-13 shots from the floor, including all five of his three-point attempts.
As Ian Begley of SNY.tv writes, Hart had been slumping lately and there had been some calls to remove him from the starting five, but Tuesday’s performance showed why head coach Mike Brown wants to keep him in his current role. While the 33 points were the most he has scored in any game as a Knick, he also contributed seven rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals.
“I think the main thing…is him connecting the group. I’m not saying he is Andre Iguodala or his game is like Andre Iguodala’s, but there are a lot of similarities where you watch him…he’s really good in a lot of different areas,” Brown said on Tuesday. “But more importantly, he connects the group and having a guy like that, especially to start games, is huge.
“… He’s been fantastic giving us that energy, giving us the connectivity we needed with that starting group and then doing the little things. Offensive glass, pushing the pace, getting off in transition. He’s a switchable guy, he’s a physical guy and (he does) a lot of things that don’t necessarily show up in the stat sheet that … help with connectivity as well.”
Prior to Tuesday’s game, Hart had made just 10-of-38 three-pointers (26.3%) since the All-Star break. His 5-of-5 outing in a win over Indiana represents a positive step toward reversing that trend.
“I think I’m kind of in my head with a lot of stuff,” Hart said of his post-All-Star shooting. “So I just got to trust my work and go out there and shoot my shots.”
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Brown still hasn’t ruled out tweaking his starting lineup, notes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. If Brown does decide to make a change, Mikal Bridges should be the one moving to the second unit, according to Edwards, who argues that the optics of benching a player after giving up five first-round picks to acquire him shouldn’t matter if the move makes the team better.
- The Knicks announced on Tuesday that Miles McBride is “progressing well” in his recovery from sports hernia surgery, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. McBride has advanced to taking contact on the court, though Brown was reluctant to set any sort of specific target date for the guard’s return. “I try not to hear (the updates on McBride’s recovery), because does that mean he’ll be back in two weeks, three weeks, a week, 10 days? I don’t know,” Brown said. “Deuce was playing well for us when this happened. It’s part of the season, so keep fingers crossed, allow our medical crew who has done a fantastic job, and when he comes back we’ll all be excited.”
- Rookie forward Mohamed Diawara played just six minutes on Tuesday, his lowest single-game total in nearly a month, with Jordan Clarkson taking his spot in the rotation. After the game, Brown told reporters that he likes what he’s seen from Clarkson on offense lately and praised the veteran guard for staying ready amid a handful of DNP-CDs in recent weeks. “We’ll continue to see what happens going forward,” Brown said, per Begley. “We’ve all had the pleasure of being able to see Mo at a young age contribute a lot. He just has to keep himself ready like Jordan did. Go out there when your number’s called, don’t do too much but do what you can do and perform at the highest level in terms of your work ethic, focus and attention to detail and just go from there.”
- In another story for The New York Post, Bondy examines what the Knicks’ playoff rotation might look like, identifying the reserves who are locks to play regular roles and those who might only be used in certain situations or matchups.
Hoops Rumors’ 2026 NBA 10-Day Contract Tracker
A total of 40 10-day contracts have been signed in 2025/26, and that number will only continue to grow as the season nears an end. Hoops Rumors has a database that allows you to keep on top of those deals, tracking every 10-day signing all season long.
Besides featuring all of this year’s 10-day deals, our 10-Day Contract Tracker includes information on all 10-day contracts signed since the 2006/07 season. The search filters in the database make it easy to sort by team, player, and/or year.
For instance, if you want to see all the 10-day contracts that the Celtics have signed since 2007, including Charles Bassey‘s current deal, you can do so here. If you want to view Bassey’s history of 10-day contracts, that list is here.
You can also see whether a player and team signed a second 10-day contract or if those short-term deals led to an agreement that covered the rest of the season. Additionally, our tracker notes which 10-day deals remain active, saving you the hassle of having to figure out whether a particular contract has expired.
A link to our 10-Day Contract Tracker can be found at any time in the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site. On our mobile site, you can find it on our “Features” page. We’ll be keeping it up to date for the rest of the season, so be sure to check back to keep tabs on the latest signings as they become official.
As our tracker shows, these are the 10-day deals currently active around the NBA:
- Utah Jazz: Andersson Garcia, F (runs through 3/20)
- Memphis Grizzlies: Tyler Burton, F (runs through 3/21)
- Memphis Grizzlies: DeJon Jarreau, G (runs through 3/22)
- Utah Jazz: Bez Mbeng, G (runs through 3/22)
- Brooklyn Nets: Malachi Smith, G (runs through 3/23)
- Boston Celtics: Charles Bassey, C (runs through 3/24)
- Golden State Warriors: Omer Yurtseven, C (runs through 3/24)
Injury Notes: Mathurin, Sengun, Bam, Edwards, MPJ
Since making his Clippers debut on February 10, guard Bennedict Mathurin has appeared in 16 consecutive games, but that streak will come to an end this week. According to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), Mathurin has been ruled out for upcoming games in New Orleans (Wednesday and Thursday) and Dallas (Saturday) due to a right big toe issue.
Mathurin, whose injury designation is technically “right toe injury recovery,” has been dealing with that problem for much of the season. He missed 11 straight games in October and November due to what Indiana referred to at the time as a toe sprain.
Another Clippers guard who has battled toe issues this season, Darius Garland, is considered questionable to play on Wednesday on the first end of a back-to-back set due to left toe injury management (Twitter link via Murray). But there’s also positive news on the Clippers’ injury report, as Kawhi Leonard has been upgraded to questionable after missing Monday’s contest vs. San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain.
We have more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is no longer listed on the injury report after sitting out two games due to low back pain, tweets William Guillory of The Athletic. That suggests Sengun will be available to suit up on Wednesday vs. the Lakers.
- One week after he went off for 83 points vs. Washington, Heat big man Bam Adebayo was forced to sit out on Tuesday in Charlotte due to right calf tightness, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo said he has been “playing through it” for a couple games but that it got to the point where he had to take at least a game off. “We want to make sure that he’s feeling good. So we’ll be responsible with it,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said before Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Hornets. “He’ll continue to do around-the-clock treatment.”
- Anthony Edwards‘ knee ailment isn’t considered serious, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the inflammation in the Timberwolves guard’s knee got to the point where he needed to get some rest to let it subside. With the playoffs just a month away, the team’s priority is to make sure Edwards is fully healthy when the postseason begins, Krawczynski adds.
- After missing three games with a right ankle sprain, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s matchup with Oklahoma City, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).
Former Hawk Nikola Djurisic Signs With Crvena Zvezda
Former Hawks wing Nikola Djurisic, who was waived by Atlanta last month, has officially signed with Crvena Zvezda, the Serbian team announced today (via Twitter).
According to the announcement, Djurisic agreed to a multiyear contract that will run through the 2027/28 season. He also technically won’t join Crvena Zvezda right away, having been loaned to another Serbian club, KK Mega Basket, whom he played for from 2020-24.
The 43rd overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft, Djurusic was a domestic draft-and-stash prospect in ’24/25, spending his first season stateside with the College Park Skyhawks in the G League. He signed a three-year deal with Atlanta during the 2025 offseason, but only the first season of that contract was fully guaranteed, so he became the odd man out when the team needed room on its 15-man roster to promote two-way player Caleb Houstan in February.
Djurusic, 22, never actually appeared in an NBA regular season game for the Hawks, having remained on assignment with College Park for most of the 2025/26 campaign. In 21 G League appearances this season, he averaged 9.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 20.8 minutes per game, posting a shooting line of .427/.190/.800.
Djurusic’s plan to return to his home country of Serbia to join Crvena Zvezda was first reported by Meridian Sport.
Pistons’ Cade Cunningham Exits Early Due To Back Spasms
Pistons All-Star guard and Most Valuable Player candidate Cade Cunningham departed his team’s game against the Wizards on Tuesday during the first quarter due to back spasms, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.
He asked to sub out with 6:40 remaining in the quarter. Moments earlier, Cunningham collided with Wizards rookie Tre Johnson when the two were attempting to corral a loose ball, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
Afterward, coach J.B. Bickerstaff did not provide an update on Cunningham’s condition or availability for upcoming games. Detroit defeated the lottery-bound Wizards 130-117 behind a career-high 36 points from its other All-Star, Jalen Duren.
Cunningham is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons. He needs to play in at least five more games to meet the NBA’s 65-game rule regarding eligibility for major awards. Detroit has 14 regular season games remaining.
The Pistons play the Wizards in Washington, D.C. once again on Thursday before beginning a four-game home stand against Golden State on Friday. If Cunningham needs to miss some time, they will have to rely on Marcus Sasser and Daniss Jenkins to run the point. The duo combined for 24 points and 11 assists on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, we’ve dealt with a lot this season and had to call on different guys throughout the year,” Bickerstaff said, per Patterson. “Tonight was an opportunity to do that, give guys minutes and give guys opportunities to see what they could do.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the Pistons announced that key reserve Isaiah Stewart would miss at least a week of action due to a calf strain.
“The most important thing is health and habits,” Bickerstaff said of approaching the postseason. “We’ve got to make sure, this month has been a lot of games for us, it will be a lot of games for us. So, making sure that we’re doing things right on the off days, how we’re recovering and all those things, to get guys opportunities to get on the floor, so that we can continue to work those habits. That’s priority number one for us.”
Warriors Notes: Porzingis, Melton, Kerr, Butler, Injury Report
A pair of impending free agents provided a glimpse of what an ideal Warriors lineup could look like if they’re re-signed, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.
Kristaps Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton combined for 57 points against the Wizards on Monday in a 125-117 victory that snapped Golden State’s five-game losing streak.
Porzingis will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and Melton is expected to decline his $3.5MM option and hit the free agent market. If they remain with Golden State, the lineup next season could feature Porzingis at center, Draymond Green and Gui Santos at forward, with Stephen Curry and Melton in the backcourt, Poole notes. Jimmy Butler would slot in after he fully recovers from the torn ACL in his right knee.
“Working my way back into good shape,” Porzingis said. “Today I think was a pretty big step forward for me. I was having fun out there playing with the guys that were finding me. I probably should have ended with more [points]; I smoked three or four that I should have made, so there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- The victory carried some historical significance for head coach Steve Kerr. He became the 28th coach in NBA history to reach 600 regular season wins, Nick Friedell of The Athletic notes. He also became the seventh coach to notch 600 victories with a single team. “I owe, I guess the honor, to incredible talent and a great organization,” Kerr said. “To work for the Warriors, to be part of this group, amazing group of people, that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber put together, just to be a part of this, I’m so blessed. Most organizations are not this strong and this aligned. I’m very, very lucky.”
- Butler, who reunited with the team for the first time since his ACL surgery on Feb. 9, provided an update on his knee rehab, indicating that he anticipates playing at some point next season. “I do want to come back,” Butler said, per Friedell. “I can’t say when. Obviously, as early as I can to help my guys win some games. But you’ll probably hear me say from time to time (in this process), whenever my body’s ready … whenever my body’s ready, I promise I’m trying to get back out there.”
- Al Horford, Stephen Curry, Seth Curry and Moses Moody remain out for the Warriors’ game against Boston on Wednesday, Celtics reporter Bobby Manning tweets. Quinten Post (foot) and LJ Cryer (hamstring) are listed as questionable.
Thunder Become First Team To Clinch Playoff Spot
The Thunder became the first team to clinch a playoff spot by virtue of their 113-108 victory over Orlando on Tuesday. It’s the 13th playoff spot earned by the franchise since 2010, the team tweets.
The Thunder, winners of nine straight games, improved their record to an NBA-best 54-15 with 13 games remaining. Oklahoma City is now assured of a top-six finish in the Western Conference and a berth in the first round of the playoffs. The Suns, who held the No. 7 spot in the conference entering Tuesday’s action, had 39 wins pending the result of their game against Minnesota.
The Thunder still has plenty of work to do to notch the top seed in the playoffs. The Spurs have 50 wins entering their game against Sacramento on Tuesday and remain in hot pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The defending champions set a blistering pace, winning 24 of their first 25 games. The Thunder then split their next 12 games before a four-game winning streak in late December and early January. They also reeled off five straight victories in mid-January, then went 10-8 over their next 18 games prior to their latest winning streak.
Oklahoma City’s depth has allowed it to overcome extended injury absences from two starters — Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein.