The Milwaukee Bucks have made a lot of interesting roster decisions this offseason. With key signings such as Myles Turner and Cole Anthony, the Bucks attempted to solidify their weakened rotation. In a recent move, however, Milwaukee’s decision to re-sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo has raised some eyebrows.
Given the state of Milwaukee’s roster, acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s older brother may serve to strengthen their frontcourt depth. But considering his limited contributions and productivity in the NBA, the Bucks’ offer of a one-year, $2.9 million deal generated some hilarious reactions from fans on X.
“Returning to the bench!” joked one user.
“This is the funniest bit in the NBA over the last few years,” added another.
“What does bro even do???” asked another fan, voicing the doubts shared by several members of the Bucks fan base.
“The legend has returned,” hilariously shared one user.
While several joked about the Bucks’ decision, many also acknowledged the role Giannis Antetokounmpo had to play in ensuring his brother returned to the team.
“They are doing everything they can to keep Giannis,” stated one fan.
“Bro getting $3 million for a last name,” addressed another.
“Giannis made his brother a multi-millionaire,” claimed another user.
“Nepotism at its finest,” acknowledged one fan.
One user also drew a parallel to Bronny James‘ position on the Lakers‘ roster and stated, “Lmao, the joke this roster is now. Everybody talked about Bron getting Bronny in… Giannis out here blatantly h**ing the front office to keep a spot for his brother.”
Meanwhile, another simply accepted the situation as it was and said, “They’re doing whatever it takes to keep Giannis. I see it.”
The situation certainly does seem to lean more towards the notion that the Bucks superstar had a greater role to play in ensuring this signing.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo joined the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2019-20 season. Since then, he has appeared in a total of 196 games for the team. In this span, he has averaged 2.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game, while shooting 50.6% from the field in 7.7 minutes played.
When analyzing his statistical contributions, it becomes doubtful that Milwaukee chose to re-sign the forward for his contributions on the floor. Although one could argue that his presence in the locker room could have been a factor, the consensus appears to be that this was a decision made to appease Giannis.
Antetokounmpo was the primary name mentioned in trade rumors earlier in the offseason. After the forward expressed his decision to entertain potential trade options, several teams are reported to have attempted to acquire him. Regardless, Milwaukee remained adamant in its decision to retain the star.
Although many expected Antetokounmpo to delay his decision until his return from EuroBasket, the recent update suggests that the nine-time All-Star will start the season with the Bucks, cementing his place on the roster. While this still leaves the door open for a midseason trade, this may be dependent on the team’s performance.
