Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury complicates Bucks' murky situation

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 10:29 PM ET

The Giannis Antetokounmpo situation may have just grown more complicated.

On Wednesday, a report revealed that the Milwaukee Bucks and the star forward have discussed sending him elsewhere. Hours later, he injured his right calf in Milwaukee's home game against the Detroit Pistons.

In the first quarter, Antetokounmpo appeared to suffer a non-contact injury after dishing an assist to guard AJ Green. He was jogging back to play defense when he suddenly fell, placing his arms across his legs as he sat on the ground. He then walked gingerly off the court under his own power but was ruled out for the rest of the game.

What does injury mean for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The severity of the injury remains unknown. If it's a mild calf strain, Antetokounmpo may need a few weeks to recover. If it's a more severe strain or an Achilles issue, he should miss more time.

Giannis appeared to suffer a leg injury early in the game vs. Detroit. He was able to walk off on his own. pic.twitter.com/RYLETO8BjL
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 4, 2025

Antetokounmpo missing multiple weeks may preclude teams from trading for the forward, who turns 31 on Saturday. Despite being a two-time league MVP, potential suitors typically avoid acquiring a player with a murky injury status.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, would continue to struggle without Antetokounmpo. Entering Wednesday night, the Bucks (9-13) were fourth in the Central Division and had gone 2-8 over their past 10 games.

Through 16 games, Antetokounmpo led the team in points (30.6), rebounds (10.7) and assists (6.4). After guard Damian Lillard returned to the Portland Trail Blazers this offseason, the Bucks lack another player who can serve as a No. 1 option.

The split between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks has probably been a long time coming. Since he led the franchise to its second championship during the 2020-21 season, Milwaukee hasn't returned to the Eastern Conference Finals and has lost in the first round three times.

But now that the forward has suffered an injury that could be significant, it may delay that process.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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