Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to miss 4-6 weeks due to a calf injury, sidelining him through the NBA trade deadline on February 5. The injury has not diminished interest from other teams, who continue to pursue the two-time MVP aggressively amid ongoing trade speculation. Reports also suggest Antetokounmpo considered changing agents during the saga.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' cornerstone player, suffered a calf injury during a recent game, leading to his self-diagnosis of a 4-6 week absence. Speaking after a two-point loss to the Denver Nuggets, Antetokounmpo told reporters, "Probably the next steps will be, go to (an) MRI tomorrow. After the MRI, they’ll tell me, probably, I popped something in my calf, in my soleus, something. They’ll probably give me a protocol of four to six weeks that I’ll be out." An MRI is scheduled to confirm the extent, but the timeline would keep him out through the All-Star break and trade deadline.
The Bucks sit at 18-26, outside the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, just 2.5 games behind the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks but only one game ahead of the 11th-place Charlotte Hornets. Milwaukee is 15-15 with Antetokounmpo on the court and 3-11 without him, highlighting their reliance on the 31-year-old forward. Despite the injury, teams remain undeterred, viewing any acquisition as a long-term investment for postseason success rather than immediate February impact, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
The uncertainty surrounding Antetokounmpo's future has stalled the NBA trade market, with only one deal completed this season: Trae Young to Washington for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert. Reports from TrueHoop's Henry Abbott indicate Antetokounmpo nearly fired his longtime agent Alex Saratsis, who has represented him since his days in Greece, after failing to secure a trade. Interest from agencies like Klutch Sports, led by Rich Paul, could add further drama. Marc Spears of ESPN suggested, "I think he has played his last game in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform."
If traded, the Bucks would likely collaborate with Antetokounmpo on preferred destinations, limiting the field to a handful of teams. The Portland Trail Blazers, holding several of Milwaukee's future draft picks from the 2023 Damian Lillard trade, could play a facilitative role in negotiations. As the deadline nears, the league awaits Milwaukee's decision, potentially leading to a quieter-than-usual market.