SPORTS LINE
The Milwaukee Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to insist that he has not demanded a trade out of Milwaukee and that he is “locked in” to play for the Bucks. Antetokounmpo, 31, reaffirmed his position in an interview with The Athletic that was published on Thursday amid the ongoing speculation over his future with the Bucks. “There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, ‘I want a trade,’ Antetokounmpo told the outlet. “That’s not … in … my … nature. OK?”
The Bucks have not engaged with other NBA teams regarding a possible trade. “I am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team,” he said. “I want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I wanna win games. In the last six games we’ve played, we’re 4-2. We have a lot of games in front of us. I’m locked the f–k in. I’m locked in. My priority is just staying healthy.” The Bucks superstar also told the outlet that he planned to be in Milwaukee for the rest of his career and insisted that “I’m not the one in charge. I am an employee.”
The 2026 NBA Trade Deadline looms large for the Milwaukee Bucks. This roster, which has struggled mightily this season (especially in games without its star), needs a significant shake-up. Giannis has come out and said that he is committed, so changes are on the horizon.
Kuzma has been the one player most discussed, dating back to the offseason. The fit since acquiring Kuzma at last year’s deadline has been clunky. This year, he has performed better than last season since coming off the bench. However, his inconsistent play, lack of three-point shooting, and large salary ($22 million this season) make him a likely player to be on the move. Bobby Portis, despite being a fan favorite off the bench, may also be on the move. He, even more so than Kuzma, has been a liability, especially on the defensive end. In years past, Portis’s offensive output has been able to make up for his shaky defense. With a much more shorthanded roster, the margin for error is thinner than ever before, and the team can’t afford a big man that doesn’t rebound or defend consistently. Portis would likely be packaged with Kuzma if Milwaukee traded for any of the large names on the market (Davis, Morant, LaVine, etc.).
Kevin Porter Jr. is probably the most controversial player on this list. He has been one of the Bucks’ bright spots this season and has exceeded expectations. With that in mind, perhaps trading Porter at his peak value might be the best move for this team. He has a player option this summer, which he could decline and hit the market. Ryan Rollins has also had a breakout season for the team and may be the long-term answer at the point guard spot. This makes Porter expendable.
The Green Bay Packers.
And just like that, the Packers’ season is over with an embarrassing ending. The Green Bay Packers experienced about as violent a whiplash as a team can on a football field in their 31-27 wild-card meltdown at the Chicago Bears on Saturday night. Quarterback Jordan Love played near-perfect football on Green Bay’s first three drives, tossing a trio of touchdowns. All the while, Bears coach Ben Johnson appeared to be over his skis with the Bears turning the ball over on downs on their own 32. And then the Bears outscored the Packers 28-6 in the second half. Green Bay did all they could to help Chicago claw their way back, with four consecutive punts to begin the final half after a combined 14 plays went for a net of nine yards.
The Packers also left seven points on the field with kicker Brandon McManus brutally missing two field goals and an extra point in the eventual four-point defeat. The Packers suffered a painful season-ending loss to the Bears on Saturday night, losing 31–27 despite getting out to a double-digit lead in the first half. Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus played a big role in the defeat. He missed one field goal in the first half before missing two kicks in the last seven minutes of the game—an extra point after the Packers scored to go up two scores and a field goal that would have extended the lead. With the final deficit as narrow as it was, McManus’s kicks wound up absolutely massive, and if even one kick had gone differently, the Packers might have won the game.
Speaking to the media afterwards, the kicker offered a very sad quote about his mistakes. “This is the biggest disappointment of my career. Just an embarrassment of a performance,” McManus said. “It’s disappointing that my role on the team is to make kicks, and these guys pour in thousands of plays over the course of the season, and I leave seven points on the board today. It’s the most disappointing point of my career.” We will see what next season brings after head coach Matt LaFleur meets with new team president Ed Policy. It wasn’t just the kicker, though. It was as if the whole team simply gave up in the second half.
