Giannis Antetokounmpo may be set to miss roughly a month due to another injury, but that is not turning down the trade speculation at all.
ESPN’s Marc J. Spears speculated on Monday that Antetokounmpo has played his last game with the Milwaukee Bucks. Spears suggested that the Bucks might just shut Antetokounmpo down for the rest of the season, even if they do not trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline.
“I think he’s played his last game in a Bucks uniform,” Spears said. “There’s so much benefit for him not playing. You could make a trade for him now, get that generational piece, maybe the No. 1 pick, the No. 2 pick. If you play him and they win, it just pushes back their potential pick further.”
Marc Spears on Giannis: "I think he's played his last game in a Bucks uniform" pic.twitter.com/fU46fgObxr
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 26, 2026
The Bucks enter play Monday at 18-26, and that is with their star player unlikely to suit up again until at least March. Their record may well get worse before Giannis is able to play again, and at that point, they might be out of the playoff race entirely.
The chances the Bucks trade Antetokounmpo before Feb. 5 likely did drop some thanks to the injury, though it won’t help long-term. The star forward is said to be frustrated with the franchise, though if they can land a high lottery pick and get a foundational piece to pair with him, that might change the equation.
Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade rumors for much of the season as the Bucks keep floundering. He was averaging 28 points and 10 rebounds per game this year before his latest injury.
