Milwaukee's nightmare scenario nearly played out Wednesday night when Giannis Antetokounmpo went down in obvious pain after a non-contact incident early in the first quarter. The two-time MVP limped straight into the locker room and never came back, sparking immediate panic among fans. After a few hours, the Bucks finally came to their senses and breathed a sigh of relief.
An MRI revealed Antetokounmpo has a right calf strain that will sideline him for two to four weeks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported. It's a significant blow, but not the catastrophic outcome many feared. A torn Achilles would completely end his season.
The Bucks rallied without him, beating the Detroit Pistons 113-109. But the injury comes at a particularly tumultuous time for the team. Earlier in the morning, a report suggested that Antetokounmpo and the Bucks had begun internal discussions about his long-term future with the team, a storyline that had been lingering for months as Milwaukee stumbled to 10th- and 13th-place starts.
Antetokounmpo has been honest about his desire to compete for a championship, and his choice to delay any major offseason decisions stems from seeing how this restructured roster will perform. Now, with the team underachieving and stars sidelined, both sides are forced into another evaluation period.
The timing of the injury also leaves an unanswered question heading into trade season. The deadline is not until February, and if nothing else happens, Antetokounmpo is expected to return before then. His availability or absence will shape the league's biggest assumptions. As Charania noted, the Bucks will wait for his recovery window before weighing their options.
The calf injury has become a major red flag across the NBA after a series of stars suffered torn Achilles tendons due to similar issues. Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton both dealt with calf injuries last season before rupturing their Achilles tendons. Jayson Tatum was also reportedly dealing with calf issues before rupturing his Achilles tendon in a game. Teams have reacted with extra caution, a point highlighted by the Spurs shutting down Victor Wembanyama earlier this year.
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