Bucks Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Thanasis Antetokounmpo Announcement

Dec 27, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA: Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo (43) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets guard Armoni Brooks (13) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks surprised the league with their decision to bring back deep-bench championship combo forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo on a one-year, $2.9 million veteran's minimum contract.

The 6-foot-7 swingman, elder brother to nine-time All-NBA power forward Giannis, sat out all of 2024-25 as an unsigned free agent while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

More news: Bucks' Rival Coach Had Prophetic Giannis Antetokounmpo Prediction

Thanasis becomes the Bucks' 15th player signed to a guaranteed deal. Guard Andre Jackson Jr. is on a partially guaranteed deal, while 3-and-D swingman Amir Coffey is on a training camp contract.

Coffey and Jackson have some upside, and one wonders if the Bucks might look to waive one of their younger, unproven pieces to hold on to one or both of those vets.

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Unlike Coffey and Jackson, Thanasis Antetokounmpo's best days are probably behind him, thanks to this Achilles issue.

Perhaps understandably, the reaction to the return of a player who can't help the team compete from NBA fans has been decidedly mixed.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is signing a guaranteed one-year, $2.9 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. Antetokounmpo played for Bucks from 2019-24. This also means after a summer of exploring options, Giannis is staying in Milwaukee to start the season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 31, 2025

As Shams Charania of ESPN notes, the upshot of Thanasis Antetokounmpo's return is that it will guarantee Giannis Antetokounmpo intends to at least kick off the 2025-26 season in Milwaukee.

When nine-time All-Star then-Bucks point guard Damian Lillard tore his Achilles tendon this past spring during the playoffs, it seemed to unofficially close the door on Milwaukee's core of Antetokounmpo and Lillard reaching the mountaintop. It also likely ended a path for the Bucks to ditch Lillard's contract for value in a trade.

Milwaukee responded by stretching and waiving Lillard to bring in Myles Turner on a four-year, $108.9 million agreement. The Bucks have also brought in point guard Cole Anthony to replace some of Lillard's creation, and are hoping re-signed young backcourt pieces like Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr. and Ryan Rollins can all take a leap.

But it's clear that the roster as currently comprised cannot win, and so fans have been fretting about Giannis Antetokounmpo possibly demanding a trade this summer.

The Thanasis return may put a pause on that possibility, for now.

Or maybe Giannis was never actually going to demand a deal, anyway, as fan account @BucksRealm posits.

Thanks for that last sentence puppet man!

What a shameless, hilarious, pitiful excuse of journalism you put forth with Giannis this summer. See you next summer when you do it all over again :)

— BucksRealm (@BucksRealm) August 31, 2025

"Thanks for that last sentence puppet man!" @BucksRealm wrote. What a shameless, hilarious, pitiful excuse of journalism you put forth with Giannis this summer. See you next summer when you do it all over again."

Charania has been taken to the task for stirring the pot about Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially considering a trade demand, without outright saying the two-time league MVP had actually requested one.

NBA insider Jake Weinbach expressed similar sentiments.

I don’t think Giannis was ever “exploring options” this summer. It was always Milwaukee.

— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) August 31, 2025

"I don’t think Giannis was ever 'exploring options' this summer. It was always Milwaukee," Waumbach opined.

Generational level of Nepo Baby

— Ross Pins (@chisportsross) August 31, 2025

"Generational level of Nepo Baby," Swish Theory's Ross Pins wrote of Thanasis.

Another fan believes the deal is essentially a tax for holding onto Giannis.

The Milwaukee Bucks just paid a $2.9 million dollar ransom to keep Giannis for another year

— $0.02timmy (@0x002timmy) August 31, 2025

"The Milwaukee Bucks just paid a $2.9 million dollar ransom to keep Giannis for another year," noted fan @0x002timmy.

For more news and notes on the Milwaukee Bucks, visit Milwaukee Bucks on SI.