The Wizards had the fewest wins in the NBA before Thursday.
Two days after the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade became very real, the Milwaukee Bucks did a masterful job of showing why that's the case.
Facing a Washington Wizards team that previously had the fewest wins in the NBA with 11, the Bucks lost 109-99 and fell to 18-28. They still sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, 4.5 games out of a playoff spot.
Antetokounmpo hasn't played since last Friday due to a calf strain and is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks. In his absence, Myle Turner led the Bucks in scoring with 21 points plus a team-high 14 rebounds and 6 blocks. As a team, Milwaukee shot 41-of-98 (41.8%) from the field and 10-of-38 (26.3) from 3-point range, while getting outrebounded 61-43.
The Wizards got 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists from Kyshawn George, while Alex Sarr had 16 points, 17 rebounds and 2 blocks. It was a special night for D.C., which was hosting former franchise great John Wall for a retirement ceremony.
The win actually moves the Wizards from the worst record in basketball to only fourth-worst at 12-34, as the 12-36 Indiana Pacers, 12-37 Sacramento Kings and 12-37 New Orleans Pelicans all have worse win percentages right now. Given the stakes of the 2026 NBA Draft, that's not necessarily a triumph.
In an ESPN article published Tuesday, the Bucks were reportedly described by potential trade partners to be "more open than ever" to moving on from Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee has been consistently hesitant about such a move, but the franchise's recent struggles and Antetkounmpo's potential decline at 31 years old have made the idea more feasible than ever.
The Bucks don't need to move the 10-time All-Star at next month's NBA trade deadline, especially if they believe they can get more for him during the summer. If the gates are indeed open, there is no shortage of contenders who will be interested.
Category: General Sports
