Giannis’ brother is currently an unrestricted free agent

As we get further into the off-season and closer to the start of the Milwaukee Bucks’ Summer League campaign tipping off, some questions linger regarding their roster. The biggest one? Who’s going to get the final 15th spot?

NBA Free Agency: Should the Milwaukee Bucks bring back Thanasis Antetokounmpo? - Brew Hoop

In past years, Thanasis Antetokounmpo has filled out that role. However, as things currently stand, his future with the Bucks remains unclear as an unrestricted free agent. In fact, some may say it’s even bleak. That begs the question… should Milwaukee award him that final spot again for the upcoming season?

Let’s start with the obvious. Back in May, Thanasis underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. This injury has sidelined him for Greece’s run into the Olympics this summer. Additionally, he’s now also likely sidelined for the entire 2024–25 NBA season. Thee were some rumors in May that he might retire, but he reportedly plans to mount a comeback.

For nearly everyone who has a thought on this debate, that’s pretty much enough of a negative to justify not bringing him back. It makes sense: Thanasis wasn’t getting meaningful minutes in the past, and now he won’t even be able to step out on the court for a year. Why would the Bucks waste a roster spot on a player who can’t even contribute, even in garbage time?

Now, let’s look at the other angle. Why would the Bucks want to bring Thanasis back?

Obviously, the first answer here is because it’d make Giannis happy. This has been something that Jon Horst & co. have understandably prioritized in recent years, from coaching searches to involving his brothers in ventures both on and off the court. When you have a superstar on your team, especially in a small market, you make moves that you’d typically not make in order to make them happy. It’s the main reason Thanasis even was a Milwaukee Buck in the first place.

He also brings an energy to the bench that’s felt by everyone on the team. No matter how much the Bucks may be up or down, he’s always everybody’s no. 1 cheerleader. He has everyone’s back, is coaching his teammates up, offering advice to coaches, and more:

And of course, the fans LOVE when Thanasis does get out on the court. Who could forget this moment?

But despite the positives, it seems like his injury weighs things down too much and makes it logical that the Bucks don’t bring him back. From my perspective, I wouldn’t re-sign him if I was Horst. It was a fun ride, but all good things must come to an end.

Additionally, there’s the chance that the Bucks don’t even use that final roster spot or roll into the season with a fourteen-man roster. There’s always a chance that they feel there’s a better opportunity down the road should a need open up. You never know what an NBA season will throw at you and what types of improvements need to be made.

However, looking at the list of available free agents, there are still some notable and respectable options available:

One option is Markelle Fultz. A former no. 1 pick in the 2017 Draft, he bounced back from adversity in finding his offense at the NBA level and was able to produce early in his stint with the Orlando Magic. However, he’s suffered some setbacks with injuries including a torn ACL, which definitely adds risk to Milwaukee obtaining him. Despite that, he’s still young and possesses athletic traits that translate well on the defensive side of the ball — but again, with a risk.

Precious Achiuwa could also be an option and would be a nice fit for Milwaukee if he took the minimum. He provided a spark to the Knicks and their playoff run this past spring and surely help Milwaukee down low. However, he’d be a bit buried in the Bucks’ depth chart, which sprouts skepticism that he’d be willing to come to Milwaukee for the minimum.

They could also take a page from the Thanasis book and give it a little tweak. Maybe they take a swing with a young player who doesn’t have a big track record and give them a chance to mop up minutes while earning some NBA experience. This thought was also expressed by our editor Van Fayaz:

So, what are your thoughts? Do you feel as if Thanasis is worthy of that final spot? Do you want the Bucks to leave it open? Or is there somebody you’re still hopeful they can nab? Let us know in the comments!