(Video) Giannis Antetokounmpo Walking Out on Bucks In 1st Quarter of Nuggets Clash Goes Viral

Trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo have been gathering pace over the past couple of weeks.

(Video) Giannis Antetokounmpo Walking Out on Bucks In 1st Quarter of Nuggets Clash Goes Viral

Giannis Antetokounmpo has 4-6 weeks due to injury (Image via FirstSportz)

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Over the past many months, trade rumors, the Milwaukee Bucks, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been mentioned in the same sentence quite a few times.

It was believed that the Greek superstar was unhappy with the way the franchise was unable to build a roster good enough for him to compete for championships.

He felt the league had evolved, but the Bucks were stuck with old ways, and he was rumored to want to move to a team in New York. Months of denials and reiterating his commitment to his team later, the situation does not seem to have been solved.

His demeanor has been saying a lot more than what his words have, and they have given enough indications that the two-time league MVP is just not happy.

In a blowout loss to the Timberwolves last week, Bucks fans booed Antetokounmpo, and he returned the favor, only for the booing to get louder and longer, leading him to shed tears on the bench.

Then, he labeled his teammates as being ‘selfish’, as he has seen his shot attempts dwindle over the past couple of games. That reached the tipping point in their game against the Denver Nuggets at home.

With just four minutes left in the first quarter, Giannis Antetokounmpo was seen walking away into the tunnel with two team staff members alongside him. It was not clear what led him to leave his team, but speculation was that he wanted an ice pack on his ankle.

Giannis Antetokounmpo hurts his leg later

Giannis Antetokounmpo eventually returned to the game with seven and a half minutes left in the second quarter. It was evident that he was uncomfortable with the way he was moving around.

Giannis Antetokounmpo could leave Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo could leave Bucks (Image via Underdog SA1/X)

The lower part of his right leg was wrapped, which meant he needed additional support and bracing. That, however, did not deter him for the next several minutes, as he went about his business of playing at his best.

His return, though, also coincided with his Milwaukee Bucks losing steam in their battle against the Nikola Jokic-less Denver Broncos, who ended the third quarter with a 15-point lead.

As Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to labor around, his teammates started a run in the fourth quarter that saw them claw away at the deficit, and eventually came to within striking distance of the lead.

With just a minute left, and the Bucks just five points behind, they managed to grab a Nuggets miss, and everyone except the Greek Freak started to peel off into the opposing half.

It so happened that the 31-year-old was hobbling on the floor, and after the clock stopped on an out-of-bounds play, he left the game and headed again to the medical room.

Giannis Antetokounmpo to be out for up to 6 weeks

Even after he left the game, the Milwaukee Bucks did their bit to try to win the game, only to lose by just two points. Later in the locker room, reporters were more interested in the leading superstar’s latest injury.

After the MRI, they’ll tell me, probably, I popped something in my calf, in my soleus, something. They’ll probably give me a protocol of 4-6 weeks that I’ll be out.

Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters

The 2021 Finals MVP stated that he will not return before the end of February or even the beginning of March. He hoped that his teammates would find ways to win and get the team into a play-in spot, if not a playoff position, by the time he came back.

Other than what happens to the Bucks, the bigger question is what this does to his trade market. A calf strain is not serious enough for him to avoid being traded out, but chances are that it may not happen this season.

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