As soon as nine-time All-Star Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard tore his Achilles tendon during the team’s five-game first round playoff series defeat to the Indiana Pacers, two-time MVP Milwaukee power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s short-term future became the focus of the minds of all 29 other NBA squads.

The 6-foot-11 big man remains one of the league’s most dominant players, despite a complete lack of a 3-point shot. With Lillard done for likely all of 2025-26 and thus probably untradeable, the Bucks’ title window with Antetokounmpo has essentially closed. When healthy, Lillard and Antetokounmpo never quite clicked.

More Milwaukee Bucks News: Bucks Expected to Draft Damian Lillard Replacement in Latest 2025 Mock

The Bucks don’t have enough help around that not-quite-dynamic duo to truly contend, and have leveraged almost all of their future draft equity in deals for first Jrue Holiday and now Lillard. It will be borderline impossible for Milwaukee to survive.

Will Antetokounmpo demand to be deal out of town?

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposes a bold three-team Antetokounmpo trade that could send Antetokounmpo to a Western Conference contender and could give replenish the Bucks’ draft coffers, while giving them the rights to a potential future generational superstar.

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Max Christie, Daniel Gafford, Jordan Hawkins, Caleb Martin, Kelly Olynyk, 2025 No. 1 overall pick, 2026 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans), 2027 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans’ swap rights)

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Dereck Lively II, 2031 first-round pick (via Dallas)

The deal would land the Bucks the right to the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, unanimously expected to be fresh Duke power forward Cooper Flagg, plus two of their own future first round picks (which could incentivize a tank), young-ish starting-caliber pros in 3-and-D wing Max Christie and rim-rolling center Daniel Gafford, intriguing young wing Jordan Hawkins, and some veteran depth.

More Milwaukee Bucks News: Damian Lillard Injury Hurts Bucks in More Ways Than Expected

“Reacquiring control of their next two first-rounders allows them to gorge on losses, juice their draft-lottery odds and add more high-end prospects alongside Flagg, before having to reconcile with making an immediate jump in 2027-28, when control over their first-rounder—plus their next two—belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers,” writes Favale.

The 30-year-old Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, would instantly become the centerpiece on an old-but-solid Mavericks club, next to All-Stars Kyrie Irving (likely done for most of the 2025-26 season, too, with an ACL tear) and Anthony Davis, both whom are 32 or older. Provided all three of those stars can get healthy in time for the playoffs (that’s a big “if”), Dallas can at least make a title run in 2026.

“Gafford is a useful big the Bucks can flip for more draft compensation, or who they can use to fill minutes should Brook Lopez leave in free agency. Christie is on a cheapo deal, only 22 years old, defends his butt off and might have more to offer offensively when placed on the ball. Hawkins is 23, has two years left on his rookie scale and arms Milwaukee’s offense with an uninhibited shot-taker… and sometimes shot-maker.”

This would jump-start a true rebuild for Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst. Would the Mavericks truly give up the rights to a younger (expected) superstar to add an older future Hall of Famer who is, albeit slightly, on the downswing of his career? They’ve literally done that before just three months ago, so yes.

More Milwaukee Bucks News:

Three Bucks Crucial Players Have Tough Decision to Make This Summer

Bucks Assistant Reportedly Being Eyed for Head Coaching Gig

Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Chase Big NBA Markets With Questionable Bucks Future

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Follow in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Footsteps

Wild Trade Proposal Has Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Landing With Warriors

For more news and notes about the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — While the top of Thursday’s speed chart was filled with IndyCar’s usual names, many other Indianapolis 500 drivers grew increasingly frustrated with the day’s results.

Graham Rahal complained on the broadcast about how the extra weight in the rear end of his car impacted how it handled around the 2.5-mile oval. Marco Andretti offered a similar critique during his radio communications.

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Santino Ferrucci was so upset with the car, he put all four tires over the white line on the warmup apron, resulting in a drive-thru penalty. Even the seemingly invincible points leader, Alex Palou, went back to the garage to make a change to the No. 10 car.

It was that kind of day on the first day of practice for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” not interrupted by rain.

“Tough day today but we’re just gonna have to crank up the boost, cowboy up and go find what we need,” Rahal wrote on social media following practice.

Rahal, Andretti and Ferrucci finished Thursday near the bottom third of the speed charts. Palou, of course, was closer to the top.

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Drivers knew navigating the series’ new, heavier hybrid cars around the fastest oval in racing could be problematic as far back as the April’s two-day open test when two experienced drivers crashed— 2021 NASCAR champion Kyle Larson and two-time Indy winner Takuma Sato.

What it all means for Friday when drivers get a power boost to increase their speeds before this weekend’s qualifications — or in the May 25 race — remains unclear.

But even some of the fastest drivers at Indy are fighting to figure it all out.

“You’re 100, 110 pounds heavier. That’s a lot of mass percentage wise that you are adding to this car,” two-time defending champion Josef Newgarden said Wednesday. “It’s saturating the tires more. It’s just moving around. Your weight distribution is shifted depending on where teams put it. That’s what people are trying to figure out right now.”

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Sato’s new battle

Sato isn’t just cramming to learn the new cars, he’s also fighting another battle — rust.

The two-time Indy winner spent seven seasons in Formula One before becoming an IndyCar regular from 2010-2022. In 2023, he raced five times for Chip Ganassi Racing. But he hasn’t suited up since last year’s 500. This year, he’s again driving for Rahal Lannigan Letterman Racing.

“It’s not easy,” the Japanese native said Wednesday. “To get out of the car 11 months, close to 12 months, jump in the car and go 230 mph, you feel the speed for sure. The refresher program helped me a lot. So just getting through the speed with an extra two sets of tires, makes me a little more confident or comfortable to the environment to get up to speed.”

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Sato is trying to become the third foreign-born driver with three Indy titles. Helio Castroneves of Brazil has a record-tying four wins. Dario Franchitti of Scotland won three times.

Familiar voices

FOX Sports announced Thursday that it’s bringing two former IndyCar drivers back to the broadcast booth for next week’s race — Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick.

Both have done broadcast work previously and 500 fans may recall hearing Patrick on NBC’s telecasts of the 500.

Patrick was the first woman to lead the race in 2005 and became the highest female finisher in race history when she was third in 2009.

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Stewart grew up in Indiana and won the 1997 IndyCar title before moving to the Cup Series. He won three NASCAR championships and captured two Brickyard 400 wins at his home track, Indianapolis.

Fast Friday sponsor

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced Thursday they have reached a multiyear deal with Turtle Wax to become the presenting sponsor for Fast Friday, the final practice before qualifying is held Saturday and Sunday.

As part of the deal, Turtle Wax also will provide its car-care products to help maintain the entire fleet of speedway vehicles.

“We’re thrilled about this alliance between two iconic Midwest-based brands — Turtle Wax and Indianapolis Motor Speedway — each with a rich history in the automotive world,” the company’s chief marketing officer Daren Herbert said. “Simply put, it’s a match made in speed and shine, and we’re ready to go.”

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing