Bucks roster crunch intensifies after Thanasis Antetokounmpo deal puts Amir Coffey in limbo

Since the NBA caps teams at 15 standard players when the season starts, Milwaukee will be forced to make moves in the coming weeks. Cutting down won’t come easy, but keeping Coffey beyond camp looks like a move they can’t afford to pass up.

Amir Coffey won’t transform Milwaukee into a contender on his own, but with the Bucks thin at small forward, keeping him makes a lot of sense. Right now, he might be their most reliable option at the position, even though he doesn’t hold a standard roster spot. Cutting ties after camp would feel shocking, but at the moment, that’s the only route the Bucks can take.

The Bucks roster dilemma

The most straightforward but toughest route would be cutting ties with a young player. Tyler Smith is entering his second NBA season, but if the Milwaukee Bucks believe Amir Coffey can make a bigger impact right now, they might move Smith’s contract in a trade. The Hawks just pulled off a similar move when they sent Kobe Bufkin to the Nets, and that strategy could serve as a model.

Andre Jackson Jr.’s future with the Bucks looks all but decided. There is almost no chance he makes the opening night roster since his non-guaranteed contract is the easiest one to cut. Even if Jackson has more upside than players like Gary Harris or Chris Livingston, both secured standard deals this summer, and Milwaukee is already carrying enough dead money to avoid waiving either of them.

It feels inevitable that Jackson will be cut to clear space for Thanasis, but Coffey’s situation still hangs in the balance. Re-signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo makes sense given his value to both the locker room and Giannis, yet the Bucks might have jumped the gun. Locking in Thanasis with a fully guaranteed deal before sorting out Coffey’s status raises real questions about the team’s roster priorities.