NBPA rebukes Bucks over Giannis Antetokounmpo dispute - ESPN

The National Basketball Players Association rebuked the Bucks over their dispute with Giannis Antetokounmpo, implying that Milwaukee is «tanking» and damaging the NBA's integrity by wanting to shut down the All-Star forward for the rest of the season.

Sources told ESPN's Shams Charania last week that Antetokounmpo refused the Bucks' request to sit out the remainder of the season. The two-time NBA MVP has remained adamant about returning to the court this season, feeling he is not risking any further injury, sources told ESPN.

In a statement Tuesday, the players' association cited the NBA's anti-tanking rules, adding that Antetokounmpo is «healthy and ready to play.»

«The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,» the union said in its statement. «Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.»

The Bucks announced last week that Antetokounmpo would be sidelined with a left knee injury, the latest health setback in an injury-plagued season for the 10-time All-Star. Milwaukee did not provide a timeline for Antetokounmpo's return, but sources told Charania that he would miss at least a week because of a hyperextension and a bone bruise in the knee.

Antetokounmpo, 31, landed awkwardly after a dunk during the third quarter of Milwaukee's game against the Indiana Pacers on March 15. Although he felt like