Giannis Antetokounmpo subbed out 3:57 minutes into the first quarter on Thursday vs. the Denver Nuggets. He met head trainer Scott Faust at the bench and walked down the tunnel towards the locker room. While the Greek Freak made his way back to the court, it was clear something was wrong. Seconds later, Doc Rivers signaled for a timeout. During the stoppage, Giannis stayed on the floor, testing his mobility and repeatedly loading his right leg.

Meanwhile, after returning to the sideline, Milwaukee’s medical team secured his right calf with protective support. Antetokounmpo winced during a goaltending call after attempting a chase-down block with 5:29 left on the clock. The reaction immediately raised concerns on the floor.

Soon, it was clear to everyone that the 31-year-old had re-injured his right calf. Is it a strain? Or something more severe? Giannis will be going through an MRI on Friday. “The next steps will be go to MRI tomorrow. After the MRI, they will tell me probably I popped something in my calf, one in my shoulders, or something,” Giannis Antetokounmpo told the media after the game. “Probably give me a protocol of four to six weeks that I’ll be out.”

The Greek Freak added, “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 at the end of February, beginning of March. Hopefully, the team is in a place that we can at least make the play-in or make the playoffs, and just take it day by day. Try to get better. That’s all.” With the trade deadline fast approaching, it could very well be the last time we see Giannis in a Bucks jersey.

For the first time since the 2016-17 season, the Milwaukee Bucks star is likely to miss the All-NBA teams. He expects to sit out roughly one month. Therefore, he will fall short of the 65-game awards threshold. Giannis admitted disappointment,

“Yeah, it’s hard. What is it, 10 years in a row?” Yet stressed health matters more, preferring weeks lost now over an entire season gone.

Giannis Antetokounmpo handled 32 minutes and 10 seconds on the floor on Thursday, his highest workload since Nov. 14. Moreover, he stayed on for 11 minutes in the fourth quarter and scored 14 points while Milwaukee erased a 23-point deficit. However, Denver escaped with a 102-100 victory.

Head coach Doc Rivers even removed Giannis for the final 34 seconds after restricted movement appeared near the 40-second mark. He wanted to go on and on and on until the final buzzer. But he, too, realized that if he did that, then his right leg’s condition could worsen.

Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals true intent behind going on despite injury

If the team’s record were stronger, would Antetokounmpo have exited the game after the first quarter? “Yes,” the 31-year-old nodded without hesitation. “I don’t know if it’s smart or if it’s not smart, but like I’ll just say my competitive spirit,” he added. “I was feeling it for the majority of the game, but did not want to stop playing. But in the end, I could not move no more. So I had to stop.”

The Greek Freak also addressed the mental strain of another potential four to six-week setback with firm resolve. Although frustrated, he emphasized discipline, routine, and trust in recovery. Meanwhile, Giannis explained he stayed on the floor out of personal pride, not symbolism. “Why is it for my teammates and myself? I just don’t like to quit.”

Now, Giannis’ injury could trigger further trade talks in the NBA. “Giannis and the Bucks, they’ve been having ongoing conversations about his future, even going back to May… Those conversations have only grown with every passing week and month since May,” ESPN’s Shams Charania recently said on the Pat McAfee Show. Well, Jon Horst could easily pull off a trade just like the Golden State Warriors did when De’Anthony Melton tore his ACL last season. But that’s unlikely to happen.

As uncertainty lingers around Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, so does resolution. The Greek Freak made a promise, or more like a public declaration, that he would never ask for a trade. So, as he sits out to recover, trade talks would surely escalate. Now, everyone will have their eyes on both ends to see what comes next!

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