With their roster far from cemented, the Milwaukee Bucks have signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a one-year deal after missing all of last season. It's not a disastrous signing, but it does create plenty of question marks regarding their depth chart, which must be whittled down to 15 standard players by the time the regular season kicks off. Currently, there's no telling how they will do that.
Bucks depth chart after signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Point guard: Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, Cole Anthony, Mark Sears (two-way), Jamaree Bouyea (two-way)
Shooting guard: Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, Gary Harris, Andre Jackson Jr. (non-guaranteed deal)
Small forward: Taurean Prince, Chris Livingston, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Amir Coffey (camp deal)
Power forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Tyler Smith, Pete Nance (two-way)
Center: Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Jericho Sims
Prior to this signing, the plan felt predictable. The Milwaukee Bucks would waive Andre Jackson Jr. before opening night to free up a roster spot, which would then go to Amir Coffey, who is slated to join Milwaukee just for camp at the moment. Coffey, though not a needle-tipper, has a case to be a more impactful rotational piece than Jackson, so it would have made sense.
The Bucks could still cut Jackson, but rather than Coffey taking his place, it would be Thanasis in that 15th roster spot. That leaves Coffey on the outskirts, which is exactly where he shouldn't be. There is an argument that he's Milwaukee's best fit at the small forward spot despite three players ahead of him having legitimate NBA contracts. He should be on this roster.
Milwaukee's front office will have to assess this depth chart and decide who to part with if they want to keep Coffey around for the long haul. Is there a trade out there to free up a roster spot, making it possible to bring aboard both Thanasis and Coffey? Do they want to trade Kyle Kuzma? Do the Bucks think they have a piece in Tyler Smith worth developing? These are questions they must ask.
No matter how they tackle these next few weeks, this won't be the Milwaukee Bucks' opening night roster for 2025-26.
Looking at the depth chart, small forward is still the most prominent question mark. Just how much can the Bucks trust Taurean Prince after his poor playoff showing? Is Chris Livingston still too raw to earn legitimate time? How is Thanasis post-Achilles tear? Will Amir Coffey even be in town? Any move they make may have an impact on this current group of players.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.