Why Giannis Antetokounmpo May Have Played His Last Game in Milwaukee

The Bucks star is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks with another calf injury as the trade deadline looms next week. Plus, intel on the Kings and Hornets.

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is sidelined with another calf injury that could signal the end of his Milwaukee career. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Editor’s note: This first appeared in the Open Floor newsletter, a free, twice-weekly publication straight to your inbox. Subscribe now.

Welcome back to Open Floor, your biweekly newsletter on the hottest topics in the NBA. I’ve decamped in New York this week, where the skies are clear but mountains of snow are still on the ground. I’ll be checking in on the Knicks this week. New York really, really needs to start stringing together some wins after a rocky January. 

Clippers’ surge

On Dec. 18, a blowout loss in Oklahoma City dropped the Clippers to 6–21, a low-water mark in a season that seemed to be spiraling away. Since then, though, L.A. has gone 15–3, inching its way toward .500. And, more importantly, one of the final play-in tournament spots. 

The numbers during this turnaround are staggering. The Clippers have the fifth-best defense during this stretch, per NBA.com. They have the league’s third-best offense and the best net rating in the Western Conference. Kawhi Leonard is averaging nearly 32 points per game (playing in 15 of them), while James Harden is putting up 25 per game. The Clippers’ true shooting percentage (62%) over those 18 games is the best in the NBA.  

So what gives? It isn’t surprising that the Clippers found their defensive identity. That L.A. languished in the bottom third of the NBA for most of the first half was stunning, considering the team had much of the same personnel from last season’s team, which finished third in defensive rating. And when Leonard is healthy he remains one of the most formidable two-way stars. 

But there have been some pleasant surprises, too. John Collins averaging 15.3 points on 67.2% shooting during this surge. Kobe Sanders shooting 43.2% from three, giving the Clips a needed three-point threat. Brook Lopez reemerging as part of the rotation, first as a spot starter for the injured Ivica Zubac and later as a 15-to-20-minute per game big off the bench. Nicolas Batum (42.6% from three) bringing dependable minutes.

The Clippers seem like a lock for the postseason. Can they be more? They will likely have to battle out of the play-in tournament, with Oklahoma City, Denver or San Antonio likely to be waiting afterward. And the heavy workload Harden is shouldering in the regular season—he’s averaging 35.6 minutes per game, most in his three years in L.A.—could lead to him flaming out in the playoffs. Still, it’s a remarkable turnaround for a team that looked to be in a world of trouble. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks future

Has Giannis Antetokounmpo played his last game in Milwaukee? It’s a question many front office execs are asking in the aftermath of Antetokounmpo’s latest calf injury, which is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks. Even if he is not traded before next month’s deadline, there’s a scenario where Milwaukee shuts down Antetokounmpo.

“There’s no thought to that,” coach Doc Rivers said. “But listen, there’s no timetable either.”

The Bucks will have the less favorable draft pick between their own and the Pelicans, which either way could mean adding a lottery pick to the NBA’s fifth-oldest roster. 

Smart money still says the Bucks wait until the offseason to make a decision on Antetokounmpo, when there isn’t a time crunch. But will the market be what Milwaukee will be hoping for? Antetokounmpo’s calf strain was his second this season and the fourth in the last two years. Calf injuries are especially nerve-racking for NBA teams, largely because even minor ones can be precursors to a more significant injury. 

Which any team pursuing Antetokounmpo will surely take into account. At 31, Antetokounmpo remains an MVP-caliber player and among the top two-way players in the game. But the injury history is deeply concerning. One NBA coach tells Sports Illustrated he sees Antetokounmpo’s game aging like Shaquille O’Neal’s, where he is still productive in his 30s but needs to be managed more and more. That’s still the kind of player teams covet. But one they are willing to go deep into a war chest for? We’ll see. 

Kings-Hornets trade discussions

We’re in the everybody is talking to everybody time of year, but one tidbit that came across my phone this week: Sacramento briefly engaged Charlotte on a Zach LaVine/LaMelo Ball swap. I say briefly because the Hornets made it clear that Ball wasn’t going anywhere. 

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is shooting 36.1% from three this season and averaging 19.1 points and 7.6 assists per game. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

And why would he? Ball has been productive for Charlotte, averaging 19.1 points and 7.6 assists. Ball is shooting 36.1% from three this season. Since Dec. 18, he is shooting 41.5%. More importantly, he’s been healthy: Ball has played in 37 games this season, critically important for a player who in his first five seasons played more than 51 games just once.

In the last month, the Hornets have been outstanding. Charlotte dropped the hammer on Philadelphia on Monday, beating the banged-up Sixers by 37. The Hornets are 8–6 in January, smacking around Oklahoma City, Denver and Orlando during that stretch. Brandon Miller is averaging 21.4 points this month, shooting 44% from three. Whatever happens the rest of this season—the Hornets are 3 ½ games back of the final play-in spot—it’s clear Charlotte has the foundation of a team that can be competitive in the future. 

---

More NBA from Sports Illustrated

Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.