Thanasis Antetokounmpo Rumors

And-Ones: Dybantsa, NBC, Crawford, Miller, T. Antetokounmpo

December 11th, 2024 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

Top recruit A.J. Dybantsa, projected to be a top pick in the 2026 NBA draft, has committed to BYU for the 2025/26 season, he announced on ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday (YouTube link). Sources tell Sam Lance and Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com that Dybantsa’s NIL figure was close to $7MM.

While Dybantsa is still at least a year-and-a-half from being drafted, there’s plenty of excitement among scouts and evaluators about how his game will translate to the NBA. He has been considered the frontrunner to be the No. 1 pick in 2026 since he reclassified last fall to the 2025 recruiting class.

“Let’s put it this way,” ESPN’s Jay Bilas told Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter on Tuesday (link via Zagoria at NJ.com). “If Dybantsa was in this (2025) draft class, along with Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper and all the outstanding players — this is a great draft class — he may very well be No. 1.”

With Dybantsa not eligible to be drafted for another year, Flagg, Harper, and Bailey – in that order – continue to hold the top three prospects on ESPN’s newest big board for the 2025 draft, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link). In his latest rankings update, Givony has moved BYU’s Egor Demin up to No. 7 (from No. 11), Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis to No. 8 (from No. 15), and Illinois’ Will Riley to No. 12 (from No. 22).

We have a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world to pass along:

NBC, which will begin broadcasting NBA games during the 2025/26 season, has reached a deal to hire Jamal Crawford as an analyst, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, who says the three-time Sixth Man of the Year is expected to call games for the network. Crawford, who has worked with TNT Sports, NBA TV, and MSG Network, isn’t the only former NBA guard drawing NBC’s attention — Marchand says the company also has interest in lead TNT analyst Reggie Miller and that talks with Miller are ongoing.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo will turn 33 in July and is recovering from an Achilles tear, but he has no plans to call it a career, according to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who spoke to the former Buck about his recovery and comeback efforts. “I didn’t miss a beat when it came to my rehab. I’ve been working almost every day, six out of seven days,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s why I’m in this condition that I am now. Guys see me out there like, ‘Hey man, you look great.’ I was like, thank you, I’ve been working my butt off, I’m not gonna lie. I’m just proud.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link) breaks down which players are currently trade-eligible and which players will join that list in the coming days and weeks, providing an in-depth summary of the trade restrictions affecting players around the league. Most offseason signees will become trade-eligible on December 15, though others will remain ineligible to be dealt until January 15 or other dates.

Wizards, Bucks, Wolves Among Teams Exploring Roster-Trimming Trades

October 19th, 2024 at 11:28am CST by Tristan Tucker

With teams finalizing rosters ahead of Monday’s cut-down deadline, there could be a flurry of activity from teams exploring avenues to keep players on crowded rosters. According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith (Twitter link), several luxury tax teams are exploring moving off salary in an effort to keep other players they like.

While the Wizards aren’t a luxury tax team, they’re one of the many teams looking to make a move before Monday’s roster deadline. As NBA insider Jake Fischer reports (Threads link), the Wizards want to keep Jared Butler around on the 15-man roster. Butler is on a non-guaranteed contract, which made him a release candidate, but he played well in the preseason, averaging 6.8 points and 4.2 assists in 14.3 minutes per game across five outings.

That could lead the Wizards to explore trading or even cutting former No. 10 overall pick Johnny Davis, according to Fischer. The Wizards aren’t expected to exercise Davis’ fourth-year option and while he hit a clutch shot in Friday’s preseason finale, he struggled this preseason and through his two NBA years with shooting efficiency.

However, outright cutting Davis would mean not being able to use his $5.3MM salary to help facilitate trades later down the road. It’s possible Washington agrees to a bigger trade before the beginning of the regular season or considers waiving another player.

As we outlined earlier today, it’s important to note that while most teams will make cuts Saturday, that’s not really an issue for the Wizards. The main wave of cuts today are mostly going to be non-guaranteed contracts and since teams like the Wizards cutting guaranteed salary would be eating dead money anyway, they have until Monday’s deadline to come to a decision.

We have more trade rumors from around the league:

The Bucks have informed rival teams of early interest in trading third-year wing MarJon Beauchamp, according to Fischer (Threads link). Beauchamp was the 24th overall pick in 2022 by the Bucks, so their willingness to move him is noteworthy. Across his first two seasons in the league, he’s averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 rebounds. While Fischer suggests the Bucks could be looking to acquire a defensive-minded wing, Smith notes via Twitter that Milwaukee has also expressed interest in re-signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo — moving Beauchamp without taking a player back would open up that opportunity. Antetokounmpo is expected to miss the season while recovering from an Achilles tear, so signing him would be for his locker room presence, which Smith says is “prized” by both the franchise and his brother Giannis.
The Timberwolves have looked into trade options for recently acquired forward Keita Bates-Diop, according to Fischer (Threads link). Bates-Diop was rerouted a couple of times this summer, going from the Nets to the Knicks in the Mikal Bridges trade before landing with Minnesota in the Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster. Bates-Diop is set to make just under $2.7MM this season and with the Wolves already about $17MM over the second tax apron, they’d prefer to move off his salary rather than eating it. Moving Bates-Diop is also about finding a way to keep PJ Dozier on the roster. The Wolves have 15 players on guaranteed salaries, plus Dozier on a partially guaranteed deal. Dozier is a favorite of president of basketball operations Tim Connelly.
Celtics guard Lonnie Walker IV‘s Exhibit 10 status is noteworthy, as he was seen as a bargain signing by the reigning champions at the time, but they have tight finances as a team well over the second apron. Still, Walker’s impressive preseason puts Boston in an interesting position, and Fischer indicates the Celtics have considered keeping him around. If they retained Walker through the season and made no other changes, Boston would have to make approximately $9MM in projected tax payments on top of Walker’s minimum-salary contract due to their position against the second apron. However, that amount isn’t calculated until the end of the season, so the Celtics may explore trading Jaden Springer as late as February’s trade deadline so they can keep Walker, Fischer reports.
[UPDATE: The Celtics are waiving Walker.]
The Pistons may be the primary contact for any team looking to make salary- or roster-trimming trades, Smith notes (Twitter link). The Pistons have an open roster spot and $10.2MM in cap space, putting them in position to accommodate players like Davis, Beauchamp, Bates-Diop or Springer if their teams were willing to attach draft capital.

International Notes: Giannis, Jokic, Ibaka

June 9th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-NBA Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Greece’s preliminary roster heading into July’s qualifiers for this year’s Paris Olympics, slated for July 2-7, per Eurohoops.

Antetokounmpo is the headliner on an 18-man roster that also includes his brother Kostas Antetokounmpo, who spent three years in the NBA with the Mavericks and Lakers. A third Antetokounmpo brother, Bucks backup Thanasis Antetokounmpo, won’t be available as he recuperates from Achilles surgery.

Panathinaikos guard, Kostas Sloukas, this year’s EuroLeague Final Four MVP, is the other marquee name joining the group.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets remains undecided about playing for Team Serbia in this year’s Olympics, head coach Svetislav Pesic revealed during a guest appearance on the Politika podcast (hat tip to Eurohoops for the transcription). “Nikola Jokic’s participation alone certainly means something in every sense,” Pesic said regarding the All-NBA big man’s theoretical presence on the club. “From both the aspect of his individual quality and from the aspect of personality that Jokic is. Because when I say that Jokic is a better guy than he is a player, they all faint. Like, ‘You’re courting Jokic.’ Of course I’m courting him, because I want to point that out.”
14-year NBA big man Serge Ibaka is reportedly signing a one-year contract to play for top EuroLeague club Real Madrid, per Javier Maestro of Encestando. In 2023/24, Ibaka transitioned back to European hoops, joining Bayern Munich, whom he paced in points, rebounds and blocks, per Eurohoops. During his prime with the Thunder, Ibaka was a three-time All-Defensive First Teamer. He won a league title with the Raptors in 2019.

Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo To Undergo Achilles Surgery

May 8th, 2024 at 6:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo will undergo surgery for a torn Achilles tendon, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Charania doesn’t specify when the injury occurred or how long the recovery process is expected to take, but players who tear an Achilles often miss a full season.

Antetokounmpo played sparingly in Milwaukee’s first-round playoff series with Indiana. He was on the court for two minutes in Game 4 and three minutes in Game 6 as the Pacers closed out the series.

The 31-year-old forward appeared in 34 games during the regular season, averaging 0.9 points and 0.4 rebounds in 4.6 minutes per night. He’s in his fifth season with the Bucks after playing professionally in Spain and Greece.

Antetokounmpo will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract last offseason that paid him $2.3MM.

Like his younger brother, Giannis, Antetokounmpo is a long-time member of the Greek international team. The surgery will presumably prevent him from playing this summer as Greece tries to earn an Olympic bid at a qualifying tournament in early July.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Thanasis, Griffin, Ownership

October 24th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Although Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo just inked a lucrative contract extension, Milwaukee is still under pressure to deliver a title soon, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

The All-NBA forward’s fresh three-season extension, which could be worth up to $186.6MM, will keep him under team control through at least the 2026/27 season. Newly-added All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard has a $63.2MM player option for that year. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, has a player option for 2027/28.

Nehm notes that team president Jon Horst clearly is striving to deliver Antetokounmpo his second title with the Bucks, pointing to the trade for Lillard as proof that the front office is taking an aggressive team-building approach.

There’s more out of Milwaukee:

Giannis Antetokounmpo credits big brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo, a reserve forward on Milwaukee, with helping to convince him to sign an extension this offseason, Nehm adds (Twitter link). “For me, signing is basically, as I said earlier, it wouldn’t make sense for me to sign it, but then I had a conversation with my family, a.k.a. GM TA [Thanasis], that it would make more sense for me to sign because I’d be able to — first of all, you don’t know what tomorrow holds — but that I’d have eligibility to re-sign in 2026,” Giannis said. “So I just kind of trust his thinking.”
First-year Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin recently unpacked his revamped approach to the club’s defense during an interview with Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Griffin singles out ball pressure, paint protection with lots of help defense, contesting shots, and defensive rebounding as his key tenets.
New Bucks co-owners Jimmy Haslam and Dee Haslam hope to help give the Bucks enough support to win more championships, Owczarski writes in a separate piece. “That desire to win is not just for us, although we’re incredibly competitive, but we also recognize how important it is for these communities to have a winning team,” Dee said. “That gets us excited to be part of that story.”

World Cup Notes: Edwards, RHJ, Hart, Ingram, Thanasis, Canada

August 30th, 2023 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Even though Team USA’s 48-point win over Jordan on Wednesday wasn’t exactly a tightly contested affair, former Timberwolves teammates Anthony Edwards and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson enjoyed going back and forth at each other in the third and final first-round game at the World Cup, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Edwards had a game-high 22 points, edging out Hollis-Jefferson, who scored 20. The two were on Minnesota’s roster together for a brief period during the 2020 preseason, when RHJ served as a veteran mentor ahead of Edwards’ rookie year. Hollis-Jefferson didn’t end up making the Wolves’ regular season roster.

“We haven’t seen each other since then, so it was fun,” Edwards said. “And yeah, we was talking with smack out there for sure.”

U.S. head coach Steve Kerr made one lineup change ahead of the game vs. Jordan, replacing Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram in the starting five with Knicks forward Josh Hart. As Windhorst observes, Ingram had struggled as spot-up shooter with the first unit and was able to have the ball in his hands more as a reserve. It sounds like the change could stick.

“We just felt like it was important to take a look at Josh with the starting group and Brandon with the next group to see if the combinations fit,” Kerr said after the victory. “I liked what I saw. The game wasn’t competitive, but there was good flow with both groups.”

“They thought it was a better fit for me playing with Tyrese [Haliburton] and playing with some guys that are a little less ball dominant than Jalen [Brunson] and Ant,” Ingram told Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. “They just talked about it being a better fit, and I agreed with them.”

Here are a few more World Cup notes:

Hollis-Jefferson is one of nine non-U.S. players identified by Alberto De Roa of HoopsHype as breakout performers through three World Cup games. Bulls guard Carlik Jones (South Sudan), Wizards forward Xavier Cooks (Australia), and Heat forward Nikola Jovic (Serbia) are among the NBAers who have impressed, as De Roa details.
Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who injured his left adductor in Monday’s loss to the U.S., returned to action for Greece on Wednesday. However, Antetokounmpo played a limited role in the win over New Zealand that clinched the Greeks a spot in the second round, recording more fouls (4) than points (2) in his 14 minutes.
The Canadian national team – which had the best point differential (+111) of any club in the first round – is finally realizing its potential on the international stage, says Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Canada has had no shortage of players in the NBA over the last decade, but those players haven’t always participated in international competitions and have struggled to quickly establish chemistry in the events they’ve played.

World Cup Notes: Australia, Antetokounmpo, Gobert, Dort

August 29th, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Australian national team tweaked its lineup ahead of Tuesday’s game vs. Japan, replacing Matisse Thybulle with Mavericks wing Josh Green in the starting five, per Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter link). The move paid dividends, as Green recorded 15 points (on 5-of-7 shooting) and four steals to help lead the Boomers to a 109-89 victory, securing the team a spot in the second round of the FIBA World Cup.

With the loss, the Japanese national team has been eliminated from the World Cup, though Suns fans have to be pleased with Yuta Watanabe‘s performance. The new Phoenix forward had 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-8 threes, against Australia.

Here’s more on the 2023 World Cup:

An MRI on Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo revealed a “slight stretch” of the adductor muscle in his left thigh, tweets Harris Stavrou of SPORT24. Antetokounmpo is receiving treatment and still hopes to play in Greece’s crucial Wednesday contest vs. New Zealand — the winner will advance to round two, while the loser will be out of the running.
Having been eliminated from World Cup contention, France sat three players – including Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert – for Tuesday’s game against Lebanon, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press notes (via Twitter), it’d be surprising if Gobert is active for any of the consolation games to determine the Nos. 17-32 seeding. France did defeat Lebanon on Tuesday, with Evan Fournier becoming the country’s all-time leading World Cup scorer, sneaking past teammate Nicolas Batum (285 points to 282).
Thunder forward Luguentz Dort is missing his second consecutive game for Team Canada on Tuesday due to a minor injury. However, it sounds like Canada is just playing it safe with Dort and he’ll be available for the start of the next round, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Canada and Latvia are currently going head-to-head to determine the Group H winner — both teams will advance to round two, but today’s winner would have a leg up to make the knockout round.

Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo Undergoing MRI On Adductor

August 28th, 2023 at 12:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who is currently competing for the Greek national team at the 2023 World Cup, is undergoing an MRI on his left adductor after experiencing discomfort in Greece’s loss to Team USA, reports Harris Stavrou of Sport24.gr (via Twitter).

Antetkounmpo is averaging 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 20.3 minutes through two games at the World Cup. Despite losing to the Americans on Monday, Greece still has a shot at advancing out of Group C — the team will face New Zealand to determine who makes it to the second round.

The 31-year-old has spent the past four seasons with the Bucks and re-signed with Milwaukee in free agency, agreeing to a one-year, minimum-salary deal that’s fully guaranteed. He hasn’t received much playing time over that span, which is why he considered signing with the Knicks this summer, but he ultimately decided to stay in Milwaukee.

Antetkounmpo recently told Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com that he would represent Greece in international competition whenever he was able to.

“This court, for me, is sacred,” he said. “When I step on the court, I play to win, I play to the best of my abilities, and whatever I have to give, I give. And certainly, I enjoy it. I enjoy this feeling in my heart.”

The Greek national team is already shorthanded, as Thanasis’ younger brother, two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, is out for the World Cup after undergoing minor knee surgery in June.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo Considered Joining Knicks

August 28th, 2023 at 7:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Thanasis Antetokounmpo tells Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com that he came close to signing with the Knicks this summer, but decided to remain with the Bucks because of his brother and new head coach Adrian Griffin.

“Obviously, Giannis is my brother, and obviously, I love Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo said. “But at the same time … I want to play. You always want to play and feel important. And at the same time, you want, like … It’s just because of how I am as a player. That would be different if I were in Europe and any other team. But now it became a little bit more like, oh, okay, he’s on the team because … But I was like: you know what? No. Why would I do this?”

The 31-year-old forward reportedly talked with several teams in free agency, but the strongest interest came from New York. Antetokounmpo was looking for a situation where he could contribute after seeing his role in Milwaukee decline over the past two years. Last season, he appeared in just 37 games and averaged 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 5.6 minutes per night.

After meeting with Griffin, Antetokounmpo got the sense that things might be different this season. He decided to re-sign with the Bucks, and although his one-year contract is for the veteran’s minimum, it is fully guaranteed for $2,346,614.

“During the free agency, I was off in Greece,” Antetokounmpo said. “But I sat down with the new coach and talked with him. He said he appreciates the way I play, he values my game. You know, every coach has a different opinion of everybody. But when I picked the teams, hearing the coach and everything … I thought this was the place for me.

“And obviously, the Milwaukee fanbase has been … You don’t know how much I love the Bucks, their fanbase, and how the city has embraced my family for so many years. So it was kind of a no-brainer. But at the same time, I’m an athlete, and you want to feel important. You want to feel a part of the team. And sometimes there are other places where they want to provide you with an opportunity, just show us what you got.”

Antetokounmpo’s NBA career began in 2015/16 with two games with the Knicks, who drafted him with the 51st pick in 2014. After spending one year in Spain and two years in Greece, he returned to the league in the 2019/20 season with Milwaukee, where he has been ever since.

Antetokounmpo is currently involved in the World Cup, where he’s the only active NBA player on Greece’s roster. He considers international basketball and the chance to represent his country an important part of who he is as a player.

“This court, for me, is sacred,” he said. “When I step on the court, I play to win, I play to the best of my abilities, and whatever I have to give, I give. And certainly, I enjoy it. I enjoy this feeling in my heart.”

Giannis On Future With Bucks, Career Goals, More

August 24th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently sat down for an honest, insightful interview with Tania Ganguli of The New York Times, which is worth reading in full for any NBA fan.

As Ganguli writes, the two-time MVP is eligible for a three-year extension in a few weeks, worth a projected $173MM. However, Antetokounmpo has no intention of inking a new deal before the 2023/24 season starts — as he notes, he could make more money if he waits until next offseason, but that certainly doesn’t sound like a lock, either.

“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know. … I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”

The 28-year-old is technically under contract through ’25/26, but that final season is a player option. He will make a guaranteed $94.4MM over the next two seasons, and could hit free agency in 2025.

Interestingly, Antetokounmpo says he considered walking away from basketball during the ’20/21 campaign. He had lost his joy for the game, according to Ganguli, but rediscovered it with the help of his older brother and teammate, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, as well as the assistance of a sports psychologist. The season culminated in Milwaukee’s second NBA championship, 50 years removed from the first.

“I think it’s the best feeling that I’ve felt so far in basketball,” Giannis told Ganguli.

In an ideal world, the seven-time All-NBA big man would like to spend his entire career with the Bucks. He has a goal of playing 20 seasons, and he’s halfway there.

“But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal,” Antetokounmpo said. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”