SUMMARY
- Milwaukee Bucks are exploring trade options but they appear unwilling to include Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
- While Thanasis' on-court contributions may seem minimal, his presence is defended as potentially valuable in the locker room.
The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the ‘potential aggressive shoppers’ when it comes to the approaching trade deadline. The Toronto Raptors have traded Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby to the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks, respectively. And now Dejounte Murray seems to be the next name on the trade block. However, there seems to be one spot that the Bucks have to stick with this season as well.
The Milwaukee Bucks are seeded No. 2 in the Eastern Conference. While the team is in search of a good defensive wing, the front office seems reluctant to put Thanasis Antetokounmpo on the trade block. The team has only won 4 of the last 8 games and is coming off a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Milwaukee Bucks have made Thanasis Antetokounmpo ‘untouchable’ in trade talks, per @Giannis_An34 pic.twitter.com/q8jNgbPMsL
— NBAĆentel (@TheNBACentel) January 19, 2024
In times like these, NBA fans are observing the ‘negligible’ importance of Thanasis on the roster. Per @TheNBACentel, Giannis Antetokounmpo has made it obvious that Thanasis is ‘untouchable’ in trade talks. Although there is no official statement from the Bucks’ front office, the conjecture seems to be true.
It seems obvious for the fans to be irked, as the Bucks are using a roster spot for Thanasis, while the onetime NBA champion is averaging 0.8 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists, with 50% shooting from the deep. After all, the forward might be a good locker room presence and carry some perks of being an Antetokounmpo.
How many minutes has Thanasis Antetokounmpo recorded so far this season?
The Greek-Nigerian NBA player was drafted into the league by the New York Knicks in 2014. The 51st overall pick, however, made his NBA debut in January 2016. Even after getting drafted, he began his career with the Filathlitikos and a couple more American G-League franchises before debuting with the Knicks. Furthermore, he just played two games in his first season with the Knicks and then returned to the NBA G League team.
He was then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019 and was reunited with his brother. Giannis’ brother has played 17 regular-season games in the 2023–2024 season. What’s worth noting is that the 31-year-old has recorded 74 points while amassing 14 points. The player from Athens, Greece, has stayed with the Bucks for over four seasons now and still seems to throw buckets like a rookie.
The locker-room presence alone doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to keep a player. Hence, it seems like the team wants to be on good terms with the younger Antetokounmpo and hence has decided not to put Thanasis on the trade block.