Two-time Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has inked a five-year, $228.2MM super-max contract extension to stay in Milwaukee. Shams Charania, Eric Nehm, and Sam Amick of The Athletic take an in-depth look into the process that saw the star forward opt to remain with the team that drafted him in 2013.
The Bucks made a big splash early in the offseason when they traded for defensive-oriented veteran guard Jrue Holiday. After a botched Bogdan Bogdanovic sign-and-trade deal, Antetokounmpo apparently wavered on a Milwaukee return — Giannis had strived to recruit the then-Kings guard, now with the Hawks.
The star stayed in touch with the Milwaukee front office throughout the offseason before coming to a decision, even though it took longer for him to sign on the dotted line than perhaps initially anticipated.
There’s more news surrounding ripple effects of the Giannis decision:
- Now that Antetokounmpo will be forgoing free agency for the immediate future, Raptors team president Masai Ujiri will have to get creative when it comes to team-building, per Eric Koreen of the Athletic. Using a bevy of assets towards a trade for Rockets guard James Harden or Wizards guard Bradley Beal could make sense for Toronto. Ujiri’s contract with the Raptors will expire this offseason, and Koreen wonders if the loss of Antetokounmpo as a free agent prospect could affect Ujiri’s decision to remain with the Raptors long-term.
- With Antetokounmpo no longer be a free agent candidate for the Heat next summer, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald breaks down the next steps Miami can take as it strives for long-term title contention, as well the reaction of Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler. Rather than expressing disappointment, the ultra-competitive wing appeared excited for the opportunity to do battle with the Bucks MVP soon. “I like it,” Butler said. “I don’t think you can go around him [for a title].”
- The new extension for Antetokounmpo is not just a victory for the Bucks, but for the NBA and all its small market clubs, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today contends. Giannis’ decision to stay with Milwaukee long term will free up general manager Jon Horst to build a team up around him without needing to worry about a starrier squad snatching him in 2021 free agency, Zillgitt notes.
Keeping the Greek Freak is a big win for Bucks and small market teams.
I really wanted him to go to the Heat, but he stayed in Milwaukee and will most likely win the chip this year.
Most likely win the chip? Over LeBron?
Yeah right.
Yes, over LeBron.
I think he gotta work on his game, but who knows? The Bucks might make a trade that covers up Giannis’ weaknesses
Surround him with Shooters and they would look real good. It’s like Draymond Green running the offense for the Warriors. Green is not as good getting to the hole and scoring as Giannas of course but green finds the shooters and the Warriors offense clicks. Same with Giannis if you get a couple more guys next year or the year after whatever.
Interesting
Let the Rudy Gobert sweepstakes begin!
But in 2 years of early exits he can pull a Harden and demand a trade lol. This isn’t loyalty, it’s getting paid the max when you can. They should make it so super max contracts cannot be traded. Teams and players will think twice
I mean he can demand a trade but just like Harden he would still be under contract so either he continues playing or he stops playing and stops getting paid. It’s all about leverage. AD pulled a similar trade demand scenario as Harden but AD was also closer to free agency (one year away as opposed to two like Harden) and the preferred destination (Lakers) actually had tradeable assets that the Pelicans wanted. Harden has basically no leverage. He’s two years away from free agency and the teams he wants to go to don’t want to meet the asking price.
The only time there is any loyalty involved is when it benefits all parties. Just as the player might demand a trade out, the front office will gladly trade a high priced player if they aren’t playing to expectations/want to clear cap (i.e. Blake Griffin) and can find a taker. At the end of the day, its a business. Teams and players are usually going to make decisions that benefit their pocket first before anything else.
I don’t see how Giannis staying is a “win” for small market teams. Garnett stayed way, way, WAY too long in Minneapolis, and that didn’t help small markets avoid losing good young talent.
If the NBA really wants to fix the “our great young player is leaving” problem that small markets face, they need to eliminate the max contract. Let players sign for whatever they can get, and in no time at all we’ll have teams with just one star each.
Of course, no one is more opposed to unlimited contracts than small market teams…
damn, I upvoted too quickly. Can I downvote?
Of course it’s a win; that’s mainly what it is, given it may not be the best choice for the Bucks (see my OP). But the Giannis signing certainly avoids the worst path, him NOT signing and going on some farewell tour before entering free agency… or demanding a trade!
It’s absolutely a win.
I’m going to say something right here that I probably shouldn’t.. but I’m going to anyway because I’ve wanted to for weeks and weeks.
Jason Lancaster has the worst takes out of anybody on this entire website. I can say 9 out of 10 of his posts are so far out in left field it’s not even funny.
Thanks Gary. I can’t tell you what your opinion means to me. LOL.
So Indiana and Memphis (for example) “won” because Milwaukee managed to convince Giannis into signing a massive contract?
Small markets are often strangled by these massive contracts, as they’re unwilling to pay the tax. So they maybe get their guy, but it’s only a matter of time before he’s looking for the exits.
I admit small market owners are more excited about keeping their stars now, but that enthusiasm can fade quickly.
Jason I think the max contract was designed so each team could only afford one or maybe two star players. Then EACH team would have a superstar… at least that was the intention. They ruined it by making it a soft cap. It should be a hard cap and Max contracts.., that would make it fair for every city. Yes, even the small markets.
Jason on cue with an over-intellectualization. What a long word… but much better than a short one like dumb. Jason is like a breath of fresh air.
I don’t think small market teams have been set apart from large or medium market teams in the problem of being choked by large salaries. It’s up to the competency of the GM.
Historically New York could be depended on for overpays, but there has been a lot of effort there to reverse that, as K.Al posts demonstrate.
Giannis’ value surely exceeds the max anyway. Actually Middleton, Lopez & Bledsoe was/were the best candidates for overpay.
@x% – So riddle me this: Is Milwaukee’s GM bad?
On one hand, they got Giannis to stay. A great job.
On the other, they ridiculously overpaid for Jrue Holiday, to the point where they’re quickly going to run out of tools to get better (if they haven’t done so already).
If they don’t win it all – or get close – in the next 2 years, what’s to stop Giannis for asking out?
I’m not looking for an answer, I’m just pointing out that the Bucks GM may have done something really dumb to get Giannis to sign, but by virtue of that move – and the massive contract – his hands are now tied.
So, just like I said to Gary, six of one and half a dozen of the other, right? Milwaukee can’t afford to pay the tax, and the risk losing the player.
@Gary – Hard cap with max contracts makes perfect sense, but big market teams won’t like it.
Still, it’s six of one half a dozen of the other, right? Soft cap with unlimited salaries = hard cap with a max, at least in terms of building superteams.
Jason, let players sign for whatever they can get and in no time at all you’ll have all the big market teams dominating the NBA.
Why would you expect anything else?
Maybe you could have a six team NBA.
Ridiculous! :)
If each player could get as much as they could negotiate, you’d have one player on each team. Maybe the Lakers or Knicks would have 2 guys like that, but unlikely.
Here’s why: No NBA star wants to earn less than another NBA star. Every NBA star thinks he’s every bit as good as the others, and compares himself based on salary. You read it all the time – so-and-so thinks he’s a max player, even when we all know he’s not.
If LeBron and Davis got $50 million a year each, that would be the benchmark every NBA star measured himself against. If they got $60 million each, THAT would be the benchmark. etc.
We all know that a team like the Knicks would throw crazy money at a guy to get him, and whatever they spent would be the measuring stick for everyone else. In no time at all, you’d have teams with one really expensive player and a bunch of roster filler.
If you keep the everything the same but eliminate the max, you get parity (or pretty close to parity).
The problem with Garnett (or with pre-Heat LeBron) is they didn’t get a ring, and so they left to other teams. Giannis has a legitimate chance to win it all with the Bucks. If and when he does it, it will be a great victory for small-market teams.
Wonder whether Middleton, Wilson, DiVicenzo, and all their picks would have been enough for Harden. Doubt Jrue Holiday can be the best ballhandler on a serious contender.
They’ll take Middleton, Lopez and divincenzo but I don’t think Giannis wants to play with that whiner especially with losing his buddies Middleton and Lopez
Call me a homer, but I’d rather have Middleton than Harden, straight up. If only for the fact Middleton is far younger and signed for longer.
I would rather have Middleton as well. He’s not the scorer Harden has been, but in every other way I’d take Middleton. Plays good defense, team player, is younger, and also makes 8 million less.
Not enough
It needs third team because they don’t like Bucks First round picks
At least a First from Knicks Cavs or a bad team
Houston is in a no-saying mood when it comes to Harden.
Must say for all the talk of Giannis moving, I’m the only poster who said he should stay and sign in the next window mostly to mess with GMs who have snatching him away their main plan… Riley and Ujiri in particular. This could be helpful in competition with the EC heavies MIA & TOR.
By signing, Giannis lets them off the hook, I think not the optimal path for MIL. Of course Horst is one of those flailing GMs, but what can he do now anyway, with nothing left to trade away but Dvencenzio who has yet to break through.
How many posters said Giannis would do the right thing and force himself out with a word, but did not consider that he would not respond to what is “right”.
The Jrue trade blocked more sensible paths IMO. Though I do like him, Augustin, and the smaller-money choices, the Bogans-first path would leave more options open. They rushed the Jrue-first path. I recall when Horst was hired, there was considerable division amongst decion-makers about the next GM. Maybe there still is.
Losing out on Bogdan hurt, and there was definitely an overpay for Jrue.
While the Bucks have lost both their preseason games so far, the small-money options that Horst filled out the bench with look real promising. If they fulfill that promise and the Bucks do about as well as they did last year in the regular season, I think Horst is safe for as long as Giannis wants him there. Horst is/was Giannis’s original connection to Milwaukee.
Bud’s future is tied to how they do in the playoffs this season, assuming the regular season goes as planned.
Yes agree on Mike Budenholzer. He better make it happen in the playoffs this year with everything that the team did to improve with trades and commitments.
I can see James Haren going to the Raptors. That’s the correct fit for him.
it would be nice, but, i don’t think he gets them over the hump (finals appearance). I can see them going after oladipo or (hometown boy) Wiggins both as a matter of cost/fit/resource capital.
Haren doesn’t want a finals appearance. It’s apparent (to me) that he just wants to get money and party. I say that because how many chances has he had? Now he’s looking to leave. For what? All his pals ain’t there. The new owner does kinda seem like a racist but Haren doesn’t seem serious.
I used to call him Haren also..because with him there was never any D!! lol
Yeah, I figured if you were on this blogsite and you commented, you’re obviously bball fans and know what I’m talking about when I type that
How is Wiggins at 30 mil/year better than Harden at 45 mil???
he’d be a buy low candidate. kid has some skill. not saying he is elite, but, I would think he wouldn’t cost much asset wise to acquire and maybe playing in front of his home might invigorate him to live up to some of that potential. plus Nurse, seems to be able to get the most out of his pieces, so no harm. but talent vs talent youre right, he isn’t the beard.
I haven’t seen Giannis play in preseason yet. Has anyone?
Has he made any adjustments like developing a go-to jumper or post up moves? Has he improved his free throw shooting?
I mentioned above that he might win the chip this year, but I have reservations about my post.
Giannis looked real sharp on a handful of turnaround fadeaways – but nothing new in free throw shooting, and the 3pt shooting looked not-good.
Thanks for answering my question Deathwest. Since Giannis hasn’t really improved in free throw shooting, or 3’s, I’m still hesitant that he might win the chip this year. If his go-to is turnaround fadeaways, we’ll see how that goes. I gotta watch him play to make a proper judgment though.
MIL is as good a choice as any.
If referees continue to let Giannis overpower people on the vertical, he doesn’t have much motivation to change his game, which may not be a good thing in playoff games where opponents stiffen.
He just stopped playing a few weeks ago. Probably the same as he was then
Still think he ends up with the Lakers this year
I like what the Milwaukee bucks did by signing him I just wish they would have kept Mason M brought Isaiah Thomas in on I camp contractI like what the Milwaukee bucks did by signing him I just wish they would have kept Mason M brought Isaiah Thomas in on I camp contract
What giannis did was smart. I recall lebron being beloved by everyone until he switched teams. Giannis doesnt have the personality & skill set to handle the media in a big market city. He will be forever loved in Milwaukee. He can also use the excuse of being in a small market city if he doesn’t win a ring
Until you see him do it, your assumption is just that…
Wow bunch of geniuses on here.
So talking about the article. The writer says. Now that Giannis has signed. Ujiri is more capable of leaving now. So I ask myself. This guy covers NBA for a living. Man where did I go wrong. What does one have to do with the other. Like how exactly does he go North. For his African homey. Insane nonsense. Giannis did what 98% of intelligent fans thought he’d do. And even if he wanted to test FA. He wasn’t walking on the Bucks for nothing. He’s a two time MVP first team offense and defense. No one is better. But no one can win a ring by himself. Bucks know they underachieved last yr. Personally I would have fired the coach. But I see a better team this yr. Holiday is a big addition. And Giannis should play off the ball more. That should help their offense. And it should help him especially in playoffs. Cause you can’t just key on him anymore. I agree with some of you who have said. They still can use shooters. For whatever reason Bucks weren’t same team in bubble. Plus injuries they paid the price for that. A contender learns from that. Holiday has never had a run in playoffs. He will be motivated. Bucks will be motivated, after being best team in regular season. They will be team to beat in the East. Heat, Celtics, Nets, Sixers all will be tough and better. Bucks are team to beat IMO