The Milwaukee Bucks Have A Crunch At Bottom Of Roster

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Thanasis Antetokounmpo #43 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrate the win of game seven of the Eastern Conference second round at Barclays Center on June 19, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 115-111 in overtime to win the series. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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On August 31, Thanasis Antetokounmpo announced he was re-signing with the Milwaukee Bucks. He missed all of last season after tearing his Achilles in a workout shortly following Milwaukee’s early playoff exit.

Antetokounmpo, originally a second-round pick of the New York Knicks in 2014, has spent most of his career in Milwaukee, averaging 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game from 2019–24.

Critics can argue he’s always been a fringe NBA player, even in his prime. Now, at 33 years old and coming off a significant injury, it’s hard to imagine he’d have another NBA contract without being the older brother of Milwaukee’s franchise cornerstone, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Still, Thanasis has value in ways that don’t show up on the stat sheet.

He’s well-respected in the locker room, works relentlessly, and brings infectious energy. Coaches and teammates alike appreciate his presence. At this stage, his role resembles Udonis Haslem’s final years in Miami: part player, part culture-setter, part assistant coach.

The challenge for Milwaukee’s front office is figuring out which NBA-quality player he displaces. His reported guaranteed contract gives the Bucks 15 fully guaranteed deals for next season, officially creating a roster crunch at the bottom of their depth chart.

Before his signing, Milwaukee had 14 guaranteed contracts. That left the final roster spot up for grabs, with Andre Jackson Jr. and Amir Coffey set to battle it out.

Jackson Jr. is one of the most athletic players on the team, but his offensive limitations are glaring. At times, he looks allergic to scoring, even when unguarded.

What keeps him relevant is his defense—he might be Milwaukee’s best perimeter stopper, capable of guarding multiple positions with his size and quickness. His foul trouble, however, remains a major hurdle.

His contract is only partially guaranteed for next season for $800,000. It becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still on the Bucks’ roster on opening night.

Coffey, meanwhile, surprisingly couldn’t land a guaranteed deal anywhere this summer despite producing last season.

A 6-foot-7 wing with three-and-D potential, he averaged a career-best 9.7 points per game and shot 40.9 percent from deep. His frame and shooting touch would be useful in Milwaukee’s rotation, but he’s stuck in limbo on a training camp contract.

For the Bucks to keep either Jackson Jr. or Coffey, they’ll need to release someone else. Cutting a player isn’t an issue financially—they’re well under the first apron and ownership has shown a willingness to eat salary. The issue is who gets the boot.

Thanasis is safe given his tie to Giannis.

Chris Livingston could be vulnerable, but his connection to Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports has already influenced past Bucks decisions.

If that influence continues, Milwaukee might instead look at Tyler Smith, the 33rd pick in 2024. Smith has talent but is raw, lacking both the strength for the frontcourt and the speed for the wing. He needs time to develop into a clear positional fit and play better than he showed in Summer League.

Training camp and preseason will ultimately decide who survives the roster squeeze.

For now, the Bucks face a tricky balance: keeping Giannis’s brother happy while also maximizing the back end of their rotation. At the very least, having options about how they want to fill out the bottom of their roster is nice.