Giannis Antetokounmpo may have played his last game for the Bucks

"I think he's played his last game in a Bucks uniform," Marc Spears said on "NBA Today," explaining that "There's so much benefit in him not playing" for the Bucks to figure out a trade without risking further injury.

Another sign that a trade could be coming is the report that Antetokounmpo might fire his longtime agent — and replace him with Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, known for moving NBA players out of unwanted situations.

Giannis Antetokounmpo still hasn't requested a trade

It's possible that Antetokounmpo and the Bucks simply don't want to be the ones to call for the end of their 13-year journey, one that resulted in the Bucks' first NBA title in 50 years back in 2021. Until the Greek Freak explicitly asks out instead of hinting at unhappiness with his teammates and his desire to win titles, the Bucks may wait to make a move.

Especially now that he'll likely be out at least a month past the Feb. 5 trade deadline. If the Bucks aren't within striking distance of the playoffs when Antetokounmpo returns, with at most six weeks of the season to go, there may be no point in having Antetokounmpo suit up again.

During the summer, they'd have more time to line up a deal and far more teams will have the financial flexibility to take on Antetokounmpo's $58.5M salary for 2026-27. Perhaps all the downtime will convince the Bucks to move on from their franchise player as it becomes obvious they're not contending.

But the biggest reason to keep Antetokounmpo out is what happened last season. Damian Lillard rushed back from an injury and tore his Achilles during the playoffs. The Bucks later bought out his massive contract. A calf injury often foreshadows an Achilles injury, so the Bucks may decide to be cautious and not risk jeopardizing a huge trade return, simply to chase a play-in spot.

It's not the storybook ending either side would have wanted. But that ending may have already arrived for Antetokoumpo and the Bucks.