Recent story poses sizeable question about Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Thanasis have shared the basketball court as members of the Milwaukee Bucks for the past five seasons.

Bringing the latter back every year became a yearly tradition. It was a move that many detested year after year, given that he never got on the floor much, but essentially every player who has suited up alongside Thanasis has spoken to the impact he has on this team. He's undoubtedly an energizer on the bench, hyping up his teammates and always reacting accordingly to a big play.

One player who recently backed this up is Jeff Teague, who was a member of Milwaukee's title team in 2021. On a recent episode of The Draymond Green show, Teague sat down and talked about the importance of Thanasis' presence to Giannis, which should come as no surprise, given how close he has always been to his family.

Teague recalled a particular stretch in the 2021 NBA Finals where Thanasis was at home for a few games due to COVID-19. In Teague's words, that messed the Greek Freak up.

Transcribed by Clutch Points:

"[Thanasis Antetokounmpo] had Covid. So he couldn’t come to the plane. That’s why we were down 0-2. Giannis was messed up, like him & his brother. They got some different kind of connection. He can’t function [if he doesn't see him].”

It should be noted that Thanasis actually was there for the first two games and that it was later games in the series that he was not present. However, the point still stands that Giannis may not be the same when his brother is not in the fold.

How will Giannis Antetokounmpo perform without Thanasis?

Any other year, Thanasis would have already been re-signed. However, shortly into the off-season, he tore his Achilles. He won't be back on the basketball court anytime soon as he rehabs from one of the hardest injuries to bounce back from in all of sports. Due to that, it made some sense to not bring him back right away, keeping their flexibility.

With Gary Trent Jr. now signed, the Bucks have filled out their entire roster. There is no room to bring in any more players, at least for now. There is always the possibility that the team clears a roster spot via trade at some point and brings Thanasis on, which this writer proposed. However, if that were to happen, it would likely come closer to when he is healthy.

So, how might Giannis perform without his brother on the roster for the first time in five years? Will his absence eat away at him? Will he not be able to function? It will undoubtedly take some getting used to after five years together, but it likely won't send him into a rapid decline. Antetokounmpo will break through the wall and push onward.

The Bucks clearly understand how important Thanasis is to Giannis, so even if he's not on the roster, they will find a way to keep him around. However, do not expect him to land a gig as an assistant like many fans have proposed. All signs point to Thanasis looking to continue his playing career when he's healthy, and that very well may come in Milwaukee down the line.

For the time being, he'll likely be around, perhaps working out in the facility and coming to games as a spectator. If it helps keep Giannis Antetokounmpo's mind in the right place, so be it.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.