According to NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss 1-2 weeks.
Antetokounmpo suffered a low-grade left groin strain against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday (11/17).
The Bucks are 8-7 on the season. They are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game on the season. The future Hall of Famer is shooting 62.9% from the field, 50.0% from beyond the arc and 63.6% from the free-throw line.
With Antetokounmpo out, the Bucks will likely struggle to win games and drop in the East standings.
A source close to Antetokounmpo told Jamal Collier of ESPN in October, “Always got to hold ownership’s feet to the fire.” Antetokounmpo thought about requesting a trade this offseason.
The Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. Indiana also beat Milwaukee in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in six games.
Antetokounmpo guided the Bucks to the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns in six games. Since then, Milwaukee has won only one playoff series.
The Bucks will only trade Antetokounmpo if he requests a trade. Antetokounmpo will make $54.1 million this season. He has a player option worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst was very busy in the offseason. The exec waived and stretched Damian Lillard, signed Myles Turner, Gary Harris, Amir Coffey, Cole Anthony and Thanasis Antetokounmpo and re-signed Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Jericho Sims.
“This team is built to maximize Giannis, but Giannis can actually maximize this team,” Horst said. “We understand nothing’s been given to us. This is a team that is really hungry to earn whatever we get, and they want to deserve to win. That’s going to be our style of play, playing together, and that’s going to feature the best player in the world, Giannis, and a bunch of guys that fit him really, really well.”
Milwaukee and the New York Knicks discussed a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but the two sides didn’t get close to a deal.
If the Bucks don’t go on a deep playoff run this season, many people around the NBA expect Giannis Antetokounmpo to request a trade next offseason.
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