The trade rumor mill has been swirling around the Milwaukee Bucks this season, recently heating up as the deadline approaches. Giannis Antetokounmpo is out of the lineup currently due to injury, but that hasn’t stopped many from speculating that a trade could be on the horizon for the franchise icon.
Milwaukee guard Ryan Rollins has called for the Bucks to adopt a "next-man-up mentality" as they prepare for an extended spell without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, starting with Sunday against the visiting Dallas Mavericks.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade chatter was already heating up. Then came the calf injury. Now it is boiling. According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, league momentum had been quietly building toward the idea of a Bucks deal before the February 5 deadline.
Most NBA players, no matter how successful, are out of the league before the end of their 30s, or even their 20s. That leaves a lot of life left to live, and a good handful of players have made the most of their professional lives after leaving the court.
Before Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury Friday night, momentum had been building toward a potential trade of the Bucks star before the February 5 deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required).
The Milwaukee Bucks are going through a difficult period as questions grow around Giannis Antetokounmpo’s leadership. Losses, trade rumors, and injuries have added pressure, especially after Giannis revealed a right calf strain that could sideline him four to six weeks.
Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers did not have a timetable on Wednesday for when guard Kevin Porter Jr., who is battling a strained oblique, will rejoin the lineup.