Would the Bucks be better served missing the Play-in?

Milwaukee's season has not gone how its hoped and they might need to give a long thought about what is best for the organization

Jan 19, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (7) talks to teammate forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are in an interesting dilemma. On one hand they have one of the best players in the league, Giannis Antetokounmpo and when he plays, they have a winning record and are a formidable team. On the other hand, Antetokounmpo has missed a lot of games, and this has cause the Bucks to have an abysmal record.

We are halfway through the season, and the Bucks are now 11th in the Eastern Conference. They are only 0.5 games back from the Atlanta Hawks to be in the 10th seed and in the Play-in for the playoffs. The question is, would it be better to miss the Play-in entirely?

I think no, they need to make the Play-in then ultimately the playoffs. This is because even if Antetokounmpo stays on the team past the deadline, if they do not even make the Play-in there is a great chance he decides to leave and this is the unfortunate reality.

The reasoning

Jan 15, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The benefit of missing the playoffs would be they can get a better draft pick. This is a little complicated because they technically do not own the rights to their pick. The Bucks will receive the least favorable pick between them and the New Orleans Pelicans, and well the Pelicans have been one of the worst teams in the league.  With a high pick you hope to get a player like Antetokounmpo.

So, if they make the playoffs, they have a much better chance to keep a top 3 player in the NBA. If they miss the playoffs then they simply hope to get a player even remotely close to Antetokounmpo’s level. When framed like that it is an easy answer.

Other OnSI writers thoughts

Ethan J. Skolnick:

“It's understandable why the Bucks are continuing to try to push forward now. The East remains wide open. The teams just ahead of Milwaukee (Chicago, Atlanta in particular) are not that good. And you're trying to convince Giannis he can compete. So sure, try to win as many games as possible, get in the play-in tournament at worst, and then use the best player on the floor to get to a playoff round. But for the long term, this will end up being the wrong course. The Bucks need a reset, and the only way to do that is through the draft, with the highest lottery pick possible.”

Jermey Brener:

“The Bucks are a win-now team, so missing the playoffs would be an absolute failure. They should absolutely want to make the play-in even if they are a one-and-done as a 9- or 10-seed. The difference between being the number 10 pick and the number 12 pick is not much of a difference. At least, the team can say that it was closer to the playoffs. At the end of the day, if the team doesn't win a championship, it's a failure of the season. So, yes, it doesn't necessarily matter when a team loses, but a win-now team should at least have a goal of making the postseason.”

Tony Mejia:

“In an Eastern Conference where one series upset opens a world of possibilities due to there being no true juggernaut, you want to make the play-in if you're the Bucks since Giannis Antetokounmpo can take a series over. A top-three pick if you get lucky in the lottery would be an awesome consolation prize, but odds-wise, would be a Dallas-landing-Cooper-Flagg-type longshot since there are so many truly awful teams ahead of the Bucks' pace in the tank race. Barring an injury to Giannis or a blockbuster trade that moves you into a rebuilding phase, landing a spot in the 7-10 range in the East beats likely drafting 13th or 14th.”