The Milwaukee Bucks have received a concerning injury update on their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, after he left Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons.
Giannis appeared in his team’s game against the Pistons for just three minutes. In the first quarter, he went down with a non-contact injury away from play, then headed back to the locker room, and did not return to play for his team. Milwaukee went on to win 113-109 at home despite Giannis’ limited appearance on the court.
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Now it appears that the Bucks will be without their superstar for as much as a month. On Thursday, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania indicated that the former NBA MVP and champion is expected to be out for approximately two to four weeks. According to Charania, Ginnias has a right calf strain.
Ahead of that NBA game, rumors began swirling that Giannis might be planning his exit from the Milwaukee Bucks. A previous report from Charania indicated (via sources) that the big man and his agent began having conversations with the Bucks about his NBA future.
Charania indicated via his sources during an ESPN SportsCenter appearance that Giannis could make a trade request in the coming weeks. His Bucks team is currently 9-13 and will now be without him for up to a month.
The Bucks were winless in four games last month when Giannis was out due to a groin injury. While Giannis sitting out is concerning for the Bucks’ current situation, a trade in the near term could also help them improve their overall situation while he’s injured.
Since his injury isn’t season-ending, it probably won’t hinder any team’s willingness to make a trade right now. At the very least, the Bucks would be able to secure some assets to rebuild for the future, should they decide to go that route rather than trade for multiple players to bolster their current roster.
On Thursday, ESPN’s NBA insiders speculated about potential blockbuster trades that five teams could make with the Bucks for Giannis: the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and San Antonio Spurs.
The two-time NBA MVP (2019, 2020) and 2021 NBA Champion has played his entire career in Milwaukee since 2013. He quickly became one of the league’s top stars. However, recent attempts to provide him with more help to get the Bucks back to their previous championship-contending form have failed, and that seemingly gave Giannis reason to contemplate his NBA future.
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