For weeks, there have been rumors that the Milwaukee Bucks have a level of interest in bringing back free agent Thanasis Antetokounmpo. While it's possible that they still can bring back the fan favorite, the signing of Amir Coffey makes that situation much cloudier beyond the fact that they are simply both small forwards.
Bucks still have to fill out the roster
NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein previously reported that Milwaukee had interest in signing Thanasis if they got the all-clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo would be back. Just like it did prior to him tearing his Achilles last season, it would have made sense to bring him back. However, that was before they signed Coffey, creating real question marks.
With Andre Jackson Jr.'s contract not guaranteed, the Milwaukee Bucks technically still have a roster spot up for grabs. They could use it on Jackson. They could give it to Coffey, who is currently signed to a camp deal only. They could bring back Thanasis, who missed all of last year due to injury. Unless they open up another roster spot, there is only room for one more player.
If it's between these three players, Amir Coffey feels like the Milwaukee Bucks' best bet. Last season, he was a legitimate rotation player who flashed plenty of quality traits, most notably his outside shot. Of the three, he boasts the most potential as a player who can come in and immediately impact the game as a role player.
Thanasis would be brought back to play the role he masterfully commanded during his prior five years with the Milwaukee Bucks. He's an energizer who can motivate anyone. Every teammate he has had can attest to that, especially his younger brother Giannis Antetokounmpo. Thanasis is the type of guy every team would love to have in their locker room.
Had Coffey not fallen into Milwaukee's lap, bringing back Thanasis may have been an open-and-shut case of just waiving Jackson, who is seemingly already on thin ice. They now have a small forward who could legitimately impact the on-court product with his play. Given how depleted they were depth-wise at that position, keeping Coffey around would be justifiable.
There is a world where the Milwaukee Bucks could enter next season with both Thanasis and Coffey, but they must make a move or two to clear room. Until then, Coffey feels like the obvious candidate to be on the opening night roster.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.