"Worse than Bronny stuff"- NBA fans react as Bucks show interest in reuniting with Giannis Antetokounmpo's brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo 

Last season, Thanasis Antetokounmpo joined his brother Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Milwaukee Bucks on a one-year contract. Late in the season, however, the eldest Antetokounmpo brother suffered a torn Achilles tendon. As a result, when the time came, the Milwaukee Bucks didn't sign him to an extension this summer.

Now, with the 2024-25 season right around the corner, NBA reporter Keith Smith has indicated that the team has an interest in bringing Thanasis Antetokounmpo back for the season ahead.

While Antetokounmpo is expected to miss the entirety of the season while he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon, the Bucks have an interest in bringing him back due to his locker-room presence, and what he means to both the team and his brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

With their interest in acquiring Thanasis, the team decided to trade MarJon Beauchamp to open up a roster spot. In a pair of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Smith wrote:

"Milwaukee has some interest in re-signing locker room favorite Thanasis Antetokounmpo"

He then followed it up with another post, writing:

"Thanasis Antetokounmpo is expected to miss the season to rehab from a torn Achilles' tendon, but his locker room presence is prized by the Bucks, and his brother Giannis Antetokounmpo."

The NBA community was quick to weigh in on the news:

"This is way worse than the Bronny stuff by the way," one fan said.

"Highest paid mascot," another fan said.

"Professional team hype man is wild," one fan said.

Others kept the jokes coming:

"I’m sure the market won’t be too hot for thanasis," one fan said.

"Literally the only team interested in him lmao," another fan said.

"Lebron getting bronny in the league or Giannis getting thanasis in the league? what’s more wild to yall," one fan said.

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Bucks express interest in Thansis Antetokounmpo coincidentally comes after Giannis Antetokounmpo's trade talk

The news of the Milwaukee Bucks being interested in Thanasis Antetokounmpo comes on the heels of franchise star Giannis Antetokounmpo indicating that if the team doesn't win a title this year, he could wind up getting traded.

After back-to-back postseasons that have largely been defined by injuries, Giannis Antetokounmpo knows that the team needs a strong showing. While speaking in an interview with The Athletic, The Greek Freak went so far as to say that if this year doesn't go well, the Bucks could wind up trading him:

"Do you have it in the back of your mind, like, '(What) if this year doesn't go well?' Yeah, if we don't win a championship, I might get traded. Yeah, this is the job we live. This is the world we're living in. It's everybody."

Given that Antetokounmpo still has two guaranteed years left on his deal thanks to a two-year extension, as well as a player option for the 2027-28 season, it would likely take quite a bit for Milwaukee to part ways with their franchise star.

Despite that, some members of the NBA community took his comments to indicate that if things don't go well, he could be the one who decides to request a trade. Then, less than 72 hours later, reports emerged that Milwaukee was interested in re-signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo.