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The leadup to the NBA’s trade deadline is usually one of the most exciting parts of the hoops calendar, but this year it’s going to be a total dud.
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That’s because the perennial darlings of the trade rumour mill have all suffered medium-term injuries ahead of the 3 p.m. ET Feb. 5 deadline to make deals. The latest was the top “available” player, two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The will they or won’t they drama between the dominant big man, who has made the All-NBA first team nine straight seasons, and the floundering Milwaukee Bucks has been going on for some time now, but it seemed like things were picking up before Antetokounmpo went down with a calf strain. He had been making cryptic comments about his teammates and though Antetokounmpo had made it clear he had no intention of being the “bad guy” by demanding a trade, it was also obvious that a divorce was coming. ESPN insider Shams Charania reported Friday that Antetokounmpo’s frustration with the Bucks was “at an all-time high.”
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Charania told the Pat McAfee Show that the two sides had been talking about the future as far back as May (around the time Antetokounmpo reportedly nearly was traded to the New York Knicks. “Those conversations have only grown with every passing week and month since May. And recently, the Bucks and Giannis’ conversations have intensified in nature,” Charania reported.
“I’ve spoken to about a dozen sources on and off for weeks now. “The tension that is in the air within that organization and within the front office and in that locker room is at an all-time high. There’s a splintering environment going on there.”
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The separation is still surely going to happen, just probably not until the off-season, since Antetokounmpo will be lost for at least all of February and into March. What team will give up the assets required to land him, knowing they’ll be without those players and Antetokounmpo for much of the rest of the regular season? Plus it’s the second time he’s hurt his right calf, which could make teams wary Antetokounmpo will be able to stay healthy for a playoff run and beyond. He can also opt out of his contract after next season, so any suitor would surely want to have a long-term extension worked out for Antetokounmpo, who turned 31 last month.
NOT THE ONLY DOMINO
Before Antetokounmpo reinjured his calf, Ja Morant and Anthony Davis, two players heavily mentioned in trade chatter for weeks, also got hurt (though the Memphis Grizzlies didn’t reveal details on Morant’s status until Saturday). Plus, Trae Young, expected to be a major part of the deadline intrigue, was moved in early January to Washington.
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Davis, who, like Antetokounmpo, is a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, is injured so often that his nickname is “Street Clothes.” He’s only appeared in 20 games so far and is expected to be sidelined for at least a few more weeks with his latest ailment, a hand issue picked up during a Jan. 9 game. It would take a brave — or desperate — general manager to give up significant assets for Davis at this point. Dallas had hoped he’d be able to play a bunch of consecutive games this month after his latest return to action, but that didn’t happen.
A bigger surprise, even though he’s been hurt a lot too, was the news this weekend that Morant, the two-time all-star and former rookie of the year point guard who had been returning to form a bit recently, would miss three weeks.
The Grizzlies said Morant sprained the UCL in his left elbow during a game against Atlanta. He had turned in consecutive impressive double-doubles before the injury, getting into the paint the way he used to and even hitting some three-pointers. Morant has not played at least seven consecutive games since 2022 due to a combination of injuries or off-court issues. That unfavourable mix had already reportedly kept Morant’s trade value down and now it’s probably at an all-time low.
Finally, Golden State lost Jimmy Butler for the season recently and his potential replacement, Jonathan Kuminga, who had earlier demanded a trade, got hurt too. Kuminga’s setback is not expected to be long-term though, according to Warriors reporters, so maybe he finally finds a new home. That and a likely minor move by the Toronto Raptors (though there’s always a chance they swing for something bigger, like Domantas Sabonis) won’t be enough to make this year’s trade deadline interesting, though. The air is already out of that balloon.
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