Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury May Force Milwaukee Bucks' Hand

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury may force the Milwaukee Bucks to make a painful, if not necessary, decision on the transactional front.

A Giannis Antetokounmpo injury has bucked up the NBA trade market.

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The embattled Milwaukee Bucks superstar endured a calf injury during Friday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets, aggravating a prior ailment that kept him out for eight games earlier this winter. In a self-diagnosis after the game, Antetokounmpo projected he would miss four to six weeks, which would prevent him from partaking in the upcoming NBA All-Star Game in Inglewood.

“After the MRI, they will tell me probably I popped something in my calf, or in my soleus or something, probably give me a protocol of four to six weeks, I’ll be out,” said Antetokounmpo, per Steve Megargee of the Associated Press. “This is from my experience being around the NBA. After that, I’m going to work my butt off to come back. That will probably be end of February, beginning of March.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo went to the locker room after a non-contact injury pic.twitter.com/yG4Emz0i6U

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 24, 2026

Antetokounmpo Injury May Force the Bucks Into Action

The injury also raises the legitimate question of whether Antetokounmpo has played his last game of a historic tenure with the Bucks: the 2026 NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Feb. 5, and the “Greek Freak” has been frequently spun in the rumor mill. With the Bucks (18-26) in legitimate danger of missing the postseason entirely (2.5 games out of the last Eastern Play-In spot entering Saturday), ending the Antetokounmpo era is likely their most prudent move.

The in-season trade period has been dormant at this point, and it’s unclear how the Antetokounmpo injury will shift the market. Suitors will likely look for an official diagnosis, but even an Antetokounmpo at three-quarters strength could be a game-changer for a would-be contender.

Potential Trade Suitors

Any and all Antetokounmpo rumors will likely have the New York Knicks attached after the center’s reported metropolitan flirtations surfaced over the summer. New York, which is attempting to answer questions about its own headlining big man, Karl-Anthony Towns, has fallen into a bit of a tailspin since its emphatic NBA Cup victory. The sizable expectations surrounding this season could force the Knicks’ hand in making a splash, but they won’t be alone.

Perhaps eager to cling to any semblance of championship contention with Stephen Curry’s twilight creeping in, the Golden State Warriors have likewise been pegged as an attractive destination for Antetokounmpo.

The Warriors have also endured some tough news on both the medical and transactional front: the season-ending injury to Jimmy Butler was bad enough, but the team also lost potential movement bait Jonathan Kuminga to an ankle ailment. Nonetheless, Golden State has veteran contracts it can part with, which could lead to one last All-Star team-up for Curry.

Whoever takes the Antetokounmpo attack, the time is probably now: the price for Antetokounmpo has no doubt dropped (through little fault of his own) thanks to recent events, but the Bucks must ensure they survive this process with at least something on their antlers.

It’s a painful process in both an emotional and physical sense, but it’s clear that the peak of the Freak era has come and gone. The injury has more or less forced the Bucks’ hooves, so it’s time to take advantage and woo both coasts.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags