Milwaukee Bucks Point Forward Podcast

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe give a post-mortem on the troubled 2025-26 Milwaukee Bucks season, including the departure of head coach Doc Rivers and where the Bucks turn next, and how quickly. With Giannis Antetokounmpo obviously the story line of the offseason, does that narrow the pool of possible candidates? Why didn't Doc work in Milwaukee? How do the two paths look this offseason (trading Giannis or keeping him) in terms of roster construction? Does the May 10 lottery matter? Also, just a tiny bit more about Shams Charania.

Journal Sentinel reporters Jim Owczarski and Lori Nickel discuss their recent work documenting the rift between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Lori talks about her multi-part interview with Giannis, asking what he wants, how he feels and his frustration with not getting cleared to play basketball in the final moments of the season. He talked about his family staying in Greece for part of the season and why he feels so strongly about playing. Will this situation create a rift that proves irreconcilable? Jim discusses what general manager Jon Horst had to say and if the Bucks can truly build a winning roster this offseason to pair with Giannis. Is there a scenario where management wouldn't want Giannis back? How is this all likely to play out? And Doc Rivers definitely won't be back as head coach, right?

The Milwaukee Bucks have been an afterthought for a while, now clinching a losing record and eliminated from a playoff berth in 2025-26 for the first postseason miss in a decade. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe examine the ashes, particularly looking for clues about whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo will be back next year, and who's ultimately responsible for making that call. The NBA is obsessed with stopping tanking; is that a justified pursuit, and have the Bucks been violating some key tenets in that regard with Giannis? Is there any chance Doc Rivers is back as head coach next year? What else do we need to know about the rest of the team as we look ahead to 2026-27?

The Milwaukee Bucks have lost four straight games, including dispiriting losses to Chicago and Atlanta, and now their play-in hopes are on life support. What happened here? Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the situation as best they can. Is all hope really lost? Why can't this team find any measure of consistency? Why is Doc Rivers still head coach? Where does Giannis Antetokounmpo fit in all this? What's left to watch for over the season's final 20 games?

The Milwaukee Bucks have won eight of 10 without Giannis Antetokounmpo available, and Kevin Porter Jr. has taken center stage in a couple back-to-back wins over the Heat and Cavaliers. But everybody else in the chase for a play-in spot has been winning, too, leaving the Bucks still in need for a lot more. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss why this version of the Bucks has worked, when Giannis might be back, the ultimate future for Porter in Milwaukee, Myles Turner, the schedule ahead and more.

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe take a look at the suddenly hot Milwaukee Bucks, with newcomers Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng contributing to a revitalization that might be important with Giannis Antetokounmpo close to returning from injury. Is this for real? Could the Bucks really make the play-in tournament? When exactly will Giannis be back? Plus a look back at the all-star weekend, with Giannis playing the master of ceremonies role despite not getting a chance to play. Which Wisconsin player is the bigger name right now, Jalen Johnson or Kon Knueppel? Dame won the 3-point competition!

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe look at what the Bucks did at the trade deadline, which wasn't all that much. Notably, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still here, but what are the odds he gets moved in the offseason? Does the national media preoccupation with moving Giannis create a tangible negative impact? What about the moves Milwaukee did make? How seriously will Milwaukee pursue wins in the home stretch once Giannis is healthy?

Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Jim Owczarski at length Feb. 3, less than two days before the NBA trade deadline. What were Jim's thoughts on those comments after asking what Giannis himself wanted? How is he negotiating the duality of wanting to stay in Milwaukee and playing for a championship? If he's exerting pressure on the Bucks, what does he want to see that he hasn't seen from a front office, even one that has engineered teams around Giannis for several years? Jim talks about the perception that Giannis wants to avoid being the bad guy, the likelihood of a trade by the deadline, whether or not he thinks this team can really compete again next year and how the 2026 draft might factor into the process.

Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss another injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo, one that's likely to keep him out for well over a month. The Bucks season is completely sunk, right? What does that mean for Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee, especially with the trade deadline just ahead? They discuss Giannis's puzzling run of games before the injury, the team's rosier-than-you-might-think draft outlook, Doc Rivers still being the head coach, how management might approach the Giannis situation in the offseason, why the Bucks have every opportunity to bounce back quickly next season, where Jon Horst is in all of this and more. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Bucks reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jim Owczarski, and host JR Radcliffe dive into the incident Jan. 13 when the Milwaukee Bucks took a lopsided loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Giannis Antetokounmpo took exception to some fan booing. Has the dynamic with the fan base changed? Does it portend anything about his long-term stay with the organization, or are we actually headed toward Giannis signing an offseason extension? More importantly, is there anything the Bucks can do at the trade deadline that will bring this team back from its current state, well off the pace among the leaders in the Eastern Conference? Ja Morant? Zach LaVine? A new coach? And what in the world is going on with a team that hasn't been able to beat injury-depleted opponents? Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Could this possibly be a glimmer of hope for the Milwaukee Bucks? After a humbling loss to the Washington Wizards on New Year's Eve, Milwaukee has won two straight and four of five as it looks to right the ship and move toward a playoff spot in a friendly Eastern Conference. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss where this team stands after a brutal stretch without Giannis Antetokounmpo, how things shape up in the conference now that he's back and the vibes in the locker room. They discuss his comments after the Wizards loss, check in on his cloudy future in Milwaukee, discuss the upcoming trade deadline, Doc Rivers and Myles Turner. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

We'll get back to Milwaukee Bucks content soon enough, but here's a special episode marking the re-launch of the Journal Sentinel podcast covering the University of Wisconsin, primarily football and basketball. Host JR Radcliffe and Badgers reporters Mark Stewart and John Steppe look at the stumbling blocks that put the football program in such bad shape, an issue highlighted by a tough national signing day Dec. 3. How does Wisconsin get back on its feet? Did they make a mistake keeping Luke Fickell? They also talk about the men's basketball team on the heels of a win in its Big Ten opener and check in with the women's hoops team and its new coach, plus a look at the women's volleyball team's NCAA journey ahead. Find the Wisconsin Badgers Podcast (and help us give it a new name) on Apple Podcasts, as well as Spotify.

A surreal Dec. 3 included word that Giannis Antetokounmpo was once again considering his future in Milwaukee, an injury that is going to force him to miss weeks and an 18-point comeback against the best team in the Eastern Conference with him off the floor. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe dive into everything Jim knows about the Antetokounmpo situation (and what he doesn't know). Has anything fundamentally changed between him and the Bucks? Was a terrible loss in Washington a warning sign? How can the Bucks salvage the situation? What would a trade look like? When could it happen? What missteps have the Bucks made along the way? Will Doc Rivers be fired? It's an all-Giannis episode. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury, one that forced him from a game in Cleveland and leaves the immediate future cloudy for the Milwaukee Bucks star. It's not as if the team had been thriving with him either, having lost recent games to the Hornets, Lakers and now the Cavaliers. How much trouble are the Bucks in? Even if Giannis comes back quickly, who else needs to step up to get the Bucks back on a clear playoff trajectory? Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Milwaukee Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe on the Point Forward Podcast, discussing the Bucks recent rash of injuries (Taurean Prince, AJ Green, Kevin Porter still, Giannis to some degree) and their so-so play, including a loss to Charlotte without Giannis and a narrow win over struggling Dallas. How problematic is the Prince injury? Has Myles Turner made enough of an impact in his first few weeks with the Bucks? What's up with Bobby Portis and Gary Trent Jr.? What about Giannis's unreal performance in an NBA Cup win over the Bulls? Could Victor Oladipo actually help?

The Bucks had a couple uplifting victories (without Giannis Antetokounmpo against Golden State and with his buzzer-beater in Indiana) but also a couple clunkers (Sacramento and Toronto) over the past week. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host JR Radcliffe to ponder the whistle that Giannis isn't getting, and the growing concern that he'll get hurt badly if teams are allowed to hack him to pieces. They talk Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, the added injury time for Kevin Porter Jr., a thrilling win and a heel-turn from Antetokounmpo in Indiana and more. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been unbelievable through the first four games of the season, including an impressive win over the Knicks on Oct. 28. Does that mean we can table trade talk to New York for a while? Sure, but not for long. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the state of the man and the city that belongs to him, with the Bucks out to 3-1 on the year. Is Kyle Kuzma for real? Is Ryan Rollins REALLY for real? What is traveling, even? Jim discusses his impressions of a postgame question about the reported ties between Giannis and the Knicks, with the team out to a fast-enough start to keep those questions largely at arm's length. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

The Milwaukee Bucks opened the 2025-26 season with a bang, a 133-120 win over the Washington Wizards and a celebration of Khris Middleton. But Kevin Porter Jr. left the game with an injury, leaving an early hole for a team that entered the season pretty healthy. Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski and host JR Radcliffe discuss the huge opening statement by Giannis Antetokounmpo, AJ Green's extension, Ryan Rollins absorbing big minutes, the departure of Tyler Smith (leaving the roster with zero draft picks aside from Giannis), the usage of Bobby Portis and more. Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Milwaukee Bucks reporter Jim Owczarski joins host JR Radcliffe on the Point Forward Podcast, discussing just how much fire there is surrounding the offseason smoke of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Is there really a chance he leaves the Bucks in the near future? What's worth paying attention to, and what's not? Then, the guys discuss the 2025 season, where the Bucks have as wide a variance in possible outcomes as they've had in years. What does Myles Turner add? Is this an AJ Green breakout season? Is Kevin Porter maybe the team's second-best player? Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.

Free agency has arrived! The Milwaukee Bucks made a splash on July 1, signing Myles Turner and waiving Damian Lillard to make it work. Lillard, who wasn't due back until late in the 2025-26 season, if at all, now becomes a free agent after two years with the Bucks. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host JR Radcliffe to discuss it. How should we term Lillard's tenure in Milwaukee? The Bucks are also bringing back many of the same players, including Gary Trent Jr. on a team-friendly deal, plus Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince and Jericho Sims. Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton bid adieu, on their way to Los Angeles and Charlotte, respectively. Will Lopez get his number retired eventually? Music intro produced by Olivia Reiner and voiced by Michelle Rutkowski.