Reaction to the Milwaukee Bucks re-signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo
By Dalton Sell
And just like that, the Milwaukee Bucks’ roster is set with 15 players under standard contracts.
The final player to ink their signature was Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who is heading back to the Bucks for another go-round, per The Athletic NBA insider Shams Charania.
Reaction to the Milwaukee Bucks re-signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo
This news isn’t too shocking. Thanasis, the older brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo, has been a member of the Bucks for the past few years. While he hasn’t played a prominent role, the forward has been a tremendous locker-room presence for the team, especially his brother. Thanasis could often be found motivating Giannis or speaking to him on the sidelines over the last few seasons when things were not going well.
If it keeps Giannis, who is a huge family man, happy and motivated, this is a fine signing. Some Bucks fans will groan following the news of Thanasis returning due to his minimal role on the court, but there’s not much to be upset about when it comes to the 15th spot on the roster.
The interesting part of this news was Charania reporting that Thanasis chose the Bucks over other suitors, including the New York Knicks. Although Giannis is under contract for several more years, this was likely a recruiting tactic to try and get in the Greek Freak’s good graces. ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst did recently say that the Knicks are monitoring Antetokounmpo’s situation with the Milwaukee Bucks following their recent playoff debacle, so that would make some sense.
Yet, they’ll have to try again another time, as Thanasis Antetokounmpo is staying a Buck.
The question now is whether or not Milwaukee’s roster is set or if they plan to make some tweaks via trade. The team is still missing a backup point guard, so it may make sense to shuffle around a couple of pieces to fill that void. They could also feel confident in the group they have and plan to hold off on trade talks until closer to the deadline. Only time will tell on that front.
Next. Grade The Trade: Bucks target scoring guard in this trade with the Jazz. dark
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis, breakdowns, rumors, and more this off-season.