NBA Injury News - Giannis Antetokounmpo undergoes knee surgery and is expected to be back by training camp

Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly underwent a knee on Wednesday to address nagging soreness in his left knee. The two-time MVP missed more than 10 games last season due to the same issue.

Shams Charania of The Athletic had this to report:

“Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent a cleanup procedure on his knee two weeks ago and is uncertain for Greece’s FIBA World Cup play this summer, sources confirm.”

New Bucks coach Adrian Griffin later confirmed Charania’s news:

"He had a routine surgery on his left knee, and it went great. Everything went as planned, and we expect him back ready to go in training camp.”

The Milwaukee Bucks will start training camp in September. The team will be raring to get back to business after getting embarrassed by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Furthermore, the Bucks made a few changes after a hugely disappointing season. They hired Griffin to be the new shot caller and retained top free agents like Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez.

Milwaukee, though, is unlikely to have a deep playoff run or contend for the title if Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t 100% healthy. Last season, left knee soreness was a constant distraction for him, causing him to miss several crucial games.

The knee injury, however, wasn’t the biggest culprit as to why he wasn’t at full health in the playoffs. Antetokounmpo suffered a back injury in the first quarter of Game 1 against the Heat.

Although he said he was completely healthy when he returned in Game 4, many thought he wasn’t back to his old self.

---

Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead largely the same Milwaukee Bucks to title contention

The Milwaukee Bucks’ main offseason goal was to retain the services of core players Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez. Milwaukee managed to keep both, which should continue to make them legit title contenders.

Only Robin Lopez and Malik Beasley have been added to the lineup so far. Lopez will be for frontline depth while Beasley can take some of the minutes left by Joe Ingles.

The Bucks are roughly $8 million above the $165 million luxury tax threshold with 10 players signed. Their limited cap space might not allow them to get more established veteran help.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be out to prove that last season’s debacle was a one-off. Even if they made only minor changes to the lineup, they should still be confident of challenging for the title next season.

As long as “The Greek Freak” is healthy, the Bucks and their fans will like their title hopes.

---