The Milwaukee Bucks open the new season in a tough spot. They have crashed out in the first round three years in a row, and the offseason only added to the uncertainty. Milwaukee waived Damian Lillard after he tore his Achilles, an injury that will sideline him all year and leave the backcourt without its star. The silver lining is that Giannis Antetokounmpo looks committed to staying, but as ESPN’s Jamal Collier notes, that might be the only encouraging sign for the Bucks.
Collier predicts that Milwaukee is the team most likely to slide backward in the 2025-26 season.
In the insiders’ poll, the Bucks landed at No. 1 and the Lakers at No. 2 among teams most likely to drop in the standings. The Celtics and Suns shared the third spot, while the 76ers and Pacers completed the top five.
“The Bucks top this list because of the mounting uncertainty surrounding the franchise at the perceived end of its contention window. Antetokounmpo is still one of the best players in the world. Still, the talent gap between him and the rest nprecedented move to sign Mylof the roster is striking, even after Milwaukee made an ues Turner in free agency,” Collier wrote.
The article later described the Milwaukee Bucks’ move to cut ties with Damian Lillard and bring in Turner as “an act of desperation by the Bucks to cling to the last of Antetokounmpo’s prime.” Maybe so, but the Bucks needed to act. And Turner gives them far more immediate value than the injured Lillard, now back with the Trail Blazers, ever could.
Bucks’ uncertain future
The spotlight remains on Giannis Antetokounmpo. For the first time, reports claimed he was ready to consider offers from other teams. Even though trade rumors have cooled in recent weeks, doubts about his future continue to hang over Milwaukee. If the Bucks fail to show they can deliver a true title run, the chance of losing him grows heavier by the day.
Antetokounmpo enters his 13th season still performing at an elite level. He put up 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game last year, earning yet another spot as an MVP finalist.
Every season brings its twists, and ESPN insiders view the Bucks as the most at risk heading into 2025-26. Whether those forecasts prove accurate may come down to one question: can Giannis and the Bucks muster enough firepower to compete?
