Giannis Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update, Giannis trade rumors, milwaukee bucks
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Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on January 19, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Milwaukee Bucks have confirmed that Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a severe calf strain when he went down with a non-contact injury during the 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets last Friday.
After a shootaround on Monday, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers detailed the results of the MRI that Antetokounmpo underwent last Saturday.
“MRI has revealed exactly what we thought,” Rivers said on Monday, via EuroHoops. “Calf strain, and really no timetable for return. Hopefully, like it was before, sooner, but there’s no timetable.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo Return Timeline?
While Rivers refused to provide a timetable for Antetokounmpo’s return, the two-time MVP noted last Friday that he’d likely be out of commission for at least four to six weeks. Based on that timeline, the “Greek Freak” may not return until March or mid-March, by which point the Bucks would likely be squarely out of play-in contention.
As such, could the Bucks potentially shut Antetokounmpo down for the season?
“No thought to that,” Rivers responded.
“But listen, there’s no timetable either. We thought we had waited longer the first time. And at points, he was 100%. But there are calf strains all over the league. I can’t give you the answer why. And it’s happening to the high-quality players, too.”
There is a mysterious nature attached to the latest Giannis injury, with some analysts pointing out how it was rather strange for Rivers and the Bucks not to offer a return timetable. Furthermore, his comments about the recent trend of calf injuries leading to Achilles tears — to stars such as Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton — could have been code for the Bucks fearing the same for their longtime franchise star.
Giannis Trade Rumors Refuse to Die Down
Adding to the mystery element is the speculation that Antetokounmpo actually popped something in his calf early in Friday’s game and yet played 32 minutes.
Rivers addressed that chatter, too.
“I asked our guys afterwards,” Rivers said, via NBA.com.
“As I said, I was concerned at halftime. He’s been very honest. Most of the time, he’s like, ‘Hey, it’s hurting, but it’s not bad.’ That’s what he’s relaying to medical, and they have to believe him. I think he’s been pretty good overall. He takes himself out.
“That’s why they left him in, because he kept saying, ‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ Visually, I kept asking. I’m not involved in that decision-making part, but I know what I see. I kept asking. That’s a tough one.”
The latest Giannis Antetokounmpo injury has not put an end to the rumors of the Bucks potentially exploring a trade for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP, either by the Feb. 5 trade deadline or this offseason. One GM told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that a desperate team like the New York Knicks or Golden State Warriors could pursue a Giannis trade within the next few weeks, viewing the injury as an excuse to buy low.
“He’s had calf issues for a long time,” the GM said of the Greek supestar. “It is not something that would scare anyone off. If anything, it maybe makes the Bucks see the writing on the wall and take the idea of trading him now more seriously.
“It still probably waits until the summer, but if the right deal is there and a team is desperate enough–think of the Knicks, the Warriors, the Heat–the Bucks probably know nothing is going to change and pull the trigger now.”