The coldest trade deadline in history? Giannis and Morant sidelined consecutively: the trade market may face another heavy blow

On January 25th Beijing time, the Memphis Grizzlies officially announced that Morant will be sidelined for at least three weeks due to a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, which means he won’t return until after the February 6th trade deadline. ESPN noted that within a 24-hour span, both Giannis and Morant suffered injuries, possibly causing further damage to the already sluggish trade market. Here is ESPN’s analysis—

Giannis injured his calf in the loss to the Nuggets, and the team will announce his expected absence duration this weekend; he previously estimated he would likely miss 4-6 weeks. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies announced Morant’s elbow sprain, with a re-evaluation scheduled after three weeks.

Will Morant play his final game wearing a Grizzlies jersey? The answer remains uncertain. His trade value has been quite low, partly due to his poor attendance—he has played only 20 games this season and 79 games since the start of the 2023-24 season. Considering his already limited trade value, it is still unclear if this new injury will impact his market worth.

The loss to the Nuggets might represent the Bucks’ lowest point this season. It’s worth noting that the Nuggets were missing six of their top seven starters in this game, and even the remaining Aaron Gordon left due to injury after halftime. Despite the Bucks’ late rally, they couldn’t turn the tide, as the Nuggets controlled the game throughout.

The Bucks showed no fighting spirit in this game, prompting many following the live updates to speculate about the possible chain reactions this performance might trigger. So far, Giannis has never publicly requested a trade from the Bucks, and this injury might temporarily relieve him from the pressure of having to play despite the team’s losses. If he remains out for the next few weeks, the Bucks’ season will most likely be declared over early, as they currently trail the play-in threshold by 2.5 wins.

This situation might actually offer the Bucks a double opportunity: on one hand, a drop in the standings could improve their 2026 draft pick position; on the other hand, the team can postpone all potential trade negotiations until the offseason, when Giannis’s intentions—whether to re-sign or test free agency in 2027—will be clearer.

As the Bucks’ record continues to decline, the biggest beneficiary might be the Hawks. Why? During last year’s draft, the Hawks and Pelicans made a deal that grants the Hawks the higher of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ 2026 first-round picks. Currently, the Pelicans hold an 11-36 record, and ESPN’s basketball power index predicts they will finish with a 24-58 record, second worst in the league. Given the top talent available in this draft, this pick is like striking gold for the Hawks.

The Bucks will receive the lower of the two picks, but even so, they are likely to secure a top-five draft selection. This pick could serve as a foundation for the team’s rebuild and provide 31-year-old Giannis with a promising young partner for the long term.

This series of uncertainties adds another intriguing element to the Bucks’ future and becomes a key factor influencing the dynamics of what might become the quietest trade deadline in history.