Ex-Teammate Dubs Giannis Antetokounmpo 'Part Owner' of the Bucks After Free-Agent Move

The Bucks made an eye-opening move to sign free-agent forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo over the weekend, and while the addition of a 33-year-old player on a minimum deal, one who averaged 0.9 points two years ago in his previous NBA stint, would not normally be big news, its obvious implications were, indeed, big news.

Bringing back Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who has been playing for Greece in this summer's EuroBasket tournament means that his younger brother, superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo won't be asking for a trade this summer.

That had become a real fear throughout the Milwaukee Bucks organization after reports emerged that Antetokounmpo was weighing the possibility of asking for a trade out of Milwaukee in the wake of the Achilles tendon injury to Damian Lillard and a third consecutive first-round playoff ouster.

Now, though, Giannis Antetokounmpo is sticking with the Bucks for his 13th NBA season, and he will have his brother in tow.

Bucks' Thanasis Antetokounmpo 'Can Hoop': Teague

There has been criticism of the Bucks' approach this offseason, which included eating the remainder of Lillard's contract (and taking the $22.5 million per year hit on the books) and now, signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo.

But Jeff Teague, a 12-year NBA guard who closed his career as Antetokounmpo's teammate in 2021--the year the Bucks won the NBA championship--said that criticism is unfair. For one thing, Thanasis can play.