5:30pm: The Bucks officially announced their new agreement with Antetokounmpo (via Twitter).
3:35pm: Antetokounmpo’s super-max extension will feature a 15% trade kicker, reports Charania (via Twitter). Since a player’s trade bonus can’t push his salary above his maximum, that’s unlikely to matter unless the cap rises significantly during the later years of Giannis’ new deal.
12:23pm: Giannis Antetokounmpo has decided to sign a five-year, super-max contract extension with the Bucks, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo published an Instagram post announcing the news.
“This is my home, this is my city,” he wrote. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next five years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”
The deal, which will feature a starting salary worth 35% of the salary cap, projects to be worth $228.2MM over five years, making it the largest contract in NBA history, Charania notes. The exact value will depend on how much the salary cap increases for the 2021/22 season — the $228.2MM projection is based on a presumed 3% cap bump.
In that scenario, Antetokounmpo would make $39,344,970 in year one, with annual 8% raises resulting in a fifth-year salary of $51,935,362 in 2025/26. That final year will be a player option, agent Alex Saratsis tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Antetokounmpo’s decision to sign the Bucks’ super-max extension offer, which has been on the table since the new league year began last month, is a massive development for the franchise. Milwaukee now has the two-time MVP locked up for the next five seasons and can focus on continuing to build a championship-caliber roster around him.
The Bucks’ efforts to bolster their roster around Antetokounmpo included trading multiple future first-round picks and pick swaps last month to acquire standout guard Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans. Milwaukee also attempted to land Bogdan Bogdanovic in a sign-and-trade, but that deal ultimately fell apart, forcing the club to look elsewhere on the free agent market. The Bucks instead signed D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis, Bryn Forbes, and Torrey Craig to fill out their rotation.
There was some speculation that the Bucks’ failed effort to bring Bogdanovic to Milwaukee may dampen Antetokounmpo’s enthusiasm for an extension, since he was said to be high on the idea of teaming up with the Serbian swingman. However, if that was the case, it wasn’t enough to dissuade Giannis from locking in a new deal with the Bucks before the December 21 super-max deadline.
Antetokounmpo, who turned 26 last Sunday, has led the Bucks’ to the NBA’s best regular season record in each of the last two seasons, establishing new career highs in 2019/20 with 29.5 PPG and 13.6 RPG in just 30.4 MPG (63 games).
In each of those last two years, the Bucks fell short of the NBA Finals, blowing a 2-0 lead to the Raptors in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals and then losing to the Heat in the 2020 Eastern Semifinals. However, Antetokounmpo’s long-term commitment to Milwaukee signals that he still believes in the club’s ability to win a title, since he has long maintained that an ability to compete for a championship was his number one priority in deciding where he wants to play.
With Antetokounmpo no longer on track to reach free agency in 2021, a handful of teams around the NBA will have to reevaluate their plans for next summer. The Raptors, Heat, and Mavericks were among the clubs hoping to take a run at the All-NBA forward. They could still use their projected ’21 cap room to pursue a star, but they’ll have to target someone besides Giannis.
Once he makes it official with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo will become the sixth player to sign a super-max contract since the NBA introduced it in 2017, joining Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and John Wall, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.
Antetokounmpo will also be the ninth player to sign a contract extension since the 2020/21 league year began and the seventh to ink a max deal, joining LeBron James, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, and De’Aaron Fox.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Congrats to Bucks fans!!!
Yes absolutely quiets all the talk. He put his signature to the dotted line and now it’s all hands on deck for a championship. Looks like he’s comfortable where he’s at and if he’s going to join other stars they have to come to Milwaukee which might happen. It’s not all about LA or Miami.
All he needs is a couple of shooters and Away they go. Instead of Giannis coming out west maybe Steph comes to the Midwest? Imagine Giannis leading the break and having Steph Curry on one side and another shooter on the other? Could be “golden.”
I wasn’t going to say anything when you said you thought other stars might go to Milwaukee. Sure. Maybe so.
But Steph going to the midwest?? Is this some sort of comedy bit you’re working out?
Why does it seem so far-fetched to you? Heck why wouldn’t Steph go to Milwaukee play with Giannis?
I mean…have you been to Milwaukee?? How does it compare to the bay area, in your opinion?
The city itself would be not as important as about a hundred other things. You don’t have to live there year-round to work and even during the season you’re there only about two-thirds of the time. You go there to play with your friends, who also give you a chance at another ring because your friend won’t come to your city… so you wing it and try it for 2 years.
I don’t know, you’re right, probably far-fetched, but I could see it happening if Giannis doesn’t want to come to San Francisco. Steph could shoot jumpers at the old Mecca in the shadow of Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief.., two of my favorites of all time.
Congrats to NBA
That’s brilliant. I love it when the players are loyal in this day and age
It’s hard because it’s a business and teams are not loyal
Teams can acquire him via trade
Thunder Trade trade trade
No free agent stars
1 young all star
And
4 Firsts
It really isn’t loyalty – the NBA salary structure, more than other major leagues, rewards players for staying with the team. Players, the product, should do what maximizes their value. The nba has figured out a way to reward owners who have the player.
I’m sure loyalty plays a part, but $229 million was a factor.
Is it really loyalty when he was likely promised that the team would go out and acquire other teams talent to support him?
He could be a very loyal guy but you can’t tell me there were not promises. Loyalty is thick and thin.
We’ll never know how big a factor loyalty was in Giannis’ decision. Yet, he does very much seem to be the loyal type, and a real stand up guy.
I’m an East coast Bucks fan of 50 years. My teenager and I have a tentative road trip planned to see him play in Milwaukee. We actually haven’t seen him play in person period.
Happy for Giannis and happy for Milwaukee. Go Bucks.
Congratulations money was more important than winning.
To a guy who may be in the HOF one day as one of the best big man the game has ever seen, im sure he’ll be ok sleeping at night if he doesn’t win a ship with all that cash.
You two have the wrong idea: Those are not the top two priorities. People are also talking about loyalty.
IMO, sentimentality gets underrated as an explanation for why decisions are made. Sentimentality is related to loyalty.
Also, Newton’s First Law of Motion can be paraphrased as, a body in Milwaukee will tend to stay in Milwaukee unless acted upon by an outside force… and forcing Giannis is not easy…
Where would he have won? He should leave them to play with an aging Steph Curry and one legged Klay?
Raptors + Giannis would have done what GSW or LBJ couldn’t do and 5peat
Got to respect the guy for taking the challenge of bringing a ring to the Bucks rather than trying to build a super team elsewhere.
@stat I agree! I am not a fan of The Bucks or the freak….but this is a good move for the city, for him, for fans and the NBA as a whole. A legit star committed to being in a small market and committed to helping to bring a ring is exciting news. I still hope it does not work lol, but I respect the hell out of this.
You nailed it. As a Sixers fan I wanted him out of the EC, but it would’ve been lousy for him to leave that team and city. If this was a Celtics player, however, I would not feel so diplomatic.
The Warriors haven’t even three-peated before and no team besides the Celtics in the 60s have ever four-peated, so what the hell are you talking about?
Mavs with Luka and Rick Carlisle
Bucks with Luka, Giannis, and Bud
Wonder how many rings the Bucks will get once Steph comes to Milwaukee
The Miami Heat next year
Because nobody has ever chosen money over a (supposed) better chance of winning?
And if im not mistaken, a LOT of people have said he could make more doing commercials and stuff that would more than offset any loss of salary if he forced his way to a bigger market.
He probably chose to stay, for the reasons he’s been giving for over a year now. Its his home, he’s comfortable there, and wants to win a championship for the city.
And im sure he’ll have a chance to chase a ring later in his career (if he doesn’t get 1 in the next 4-5 years) since he’ll only be 30 when the deal is up.
Deals (really) up next yr when hes first elig to be traded-
I never thought he’d do Mil dirty tho, he ensured them a huge package back today on chance the next 2 years dont go the way Giannis/Mil want them too
As long as theres a stable driver at the wheel the next 5-6 yrs should be fruitful for Mil and possibly beyond – Thats a great place to be for a very small market in modern day sports
This deal takes to age 31…he’ll still have plenty of time to chase rings, if he chooses.
Oof just read HailRogers post. So basically what he said.
Except I was off by a year with his age..
More important than winning? Bucks won the most games the last two seasons, so he has an excellent chance at a ring in Milwaukee.
Mlbnyyfan, always nice to get greed lessons from a Yankees fan …
Thanks for the insight
Congrats! Great money! Almost no one will work out of love!
I always think he will sign extension with Bucks
Now Knicks have 3 available free agent stars left next summer
Kawhi
Jrue Holiday
Oladipo
If Kawhi signs extension with Clippers, Knicks are doomed
One of top 7 picks won’t help much
You know there is literally zero chance Kawhi signs with the Knicks, right?
Pass on all 3.
Knicks need to give their young core time to develop.
Quickley, Barrett, Toppin need time.
Don’t rush outband start overpaying aging vets to stunt the growth of the young core.
Zach Lavine would be a good option in 2022.
So would Tj Warren, Justice Winslow, Josh Richardson.
You want young veterans to build a contender together.
Shame you didn’t have a player like Porzingis
Buuurn.
Pass on Kawhi, go sign Lavine)) You should be knocks GM – you guys think alike. No KD? Go sign 25 PF, including Randle, Portis and Taj, just clog the lane for RJ
Not interested in the perpetual rehab.
nice..super max contracts are still dumb..legit makes it hard to build a team and if a injury happens (CP3,Wall,Westbrook) you’re stuck with them or its hard as hell to unload them
Then they complain when the team doesn’t have cap space to get players to compete for a title..cough harden, Kawai and pg
Usually Supermax contracts get you the best value money can buy- Cherry picking the bad cases doesnt change that and in 2020 isnt even that sly anymore
If this was baseball, with No restrictions, and Giannis wanted to get Greedy he coulda gotten 60 million on the free market and there would have been teams running to clear up the space in time (selling bad contracts w draft picks etc etc for a chance)
Supermax makes sure theres enough left over for the rest, which is awesome….this is a star league with some star egos. Supermax is everybodies friend outside the few that actually get it….. and at that point I only have few tears left to shed for them
James Harden is a great example – Hes supermax and you SEE how much surplus value HE STILL HAS on the market today….. If he could sign for big hed get 60 mill no supermax
Using Suess’s example of CP3, Wall & Westbrook…
One max can still be traded for another. Everyone is tradable.
If a GM finds himself stuck, it’s because the test is being #1 out of 30, and somebody has to be one of the 29!
(Horst may be stuck, but not because of GA)
Never doubted it. Just nice to shove that in the medias face and shut the f up about where he’s going lol
I agree! It’s really nice to see his loyalty and a player of his caliber to stay in a small market and not move for a big city. Really liked seeing this!
We all know the wolves aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, so go bucks!
But but he was getting traded to the Warriors for Wiggins and picks.
And before that he was signing with the Lakers
Golandcrabs@, some players say they want to stay with their team and retire there, and other players don’t say so much. Giannis was the latter to be honest so let the rumors fly. He quieted those rumors today and I’m happy for Milwaukee and the Bucks. I wish them well. As I mentioned above, maybe Curry comes out to the Midwest LOL? They’re supposed to be buddies right?
Decent comeback, but Giannis doesn’t say much in general.in
I wonder if he will decide that will change!— Wisconsin can be touchy…
It’s actually refreshing to see a Top 10 player agree to stay with his mid-market team vs. trying to force his way out to play with his buddies to form a super team. There’s been way too much of that in the NBA lately so good for Giannis and Milwaukee for him staying put. Yes he makes more money there but once you get to that level of income, it’s not the sole driver in decision making. The NBA must be thrilled that he’s decided to stay in Milwaukee; great for the league!
Well said.
I heard something on my local sports talk radio that might help explain it. Giannis didn’t grow up playing the AAU circuit, so he never built the relationships with players from a very young age that has led to those younger players wanting to team up when they reach the NBA. I’m sure that isn’t the whole story, but I do think it could have something to do with it.
How many days before he can be traded? Clock starts now.
Now the Bucks can make a fair trade for Harden.
“Here’s all our trash for your trash.”
Good luck turning DJ Wilson into the next Christian Wood.
You’re not seriously suggesting that the Bucks would ever consider trading Giannis for James Harden, are you?
… and the Bucks have to include more… if Wilson can be called that.
Supermax guys can’t be traded the season they sign that extension.
So 9 months from now?
Woo hoo! Keeps Milwaukee a first rate NBA City for the next five years which the community really needs. Huge! My blood pressure just lowered back to normal.
Congratulations
It makes no sense how these newer crop of players make more money then players like lebron.. Paul George making what lebron makes is absolutely ridiculous..
Out of all 3 major sports basketballs pay structure by far makes the most sense
Sure they all have some fleas but this is the wrong board to complain on for salary cap issues
Learn about revenue dude.
That is no news, right?
All NBA fans knew he was staying in MIL, right?
Can’t believe anyone thought he was leaving… it beggars believe the ignorance that some people like to display in public, right?
I thought he hemmed and hawed enough to not sign this offseason and perhaps walk next year. I definitely thought that could happen. That’s ignorant? Okay. That’s how I felt though.
This makes me happy. Let’s hope he doesn’t ask for a trade after 2 years.
Thought he wanted the Bucks to get better. Jrue wasn’t exactly a huge step and now they are strapped for cap room for a while.
You must have missed watching Bledsoe in the playoffs the last two years
Thing is… Jrue is better as a 2. He will pick the 2 if given a choice.
The pressure on this guy! I suspect PG Augustin will be starting.
It’s a solid duo but smaller & older.
Guess the mavs will either sign Derozen or Blake Griffin in the off season…
You think Blake is going to decline his $38mil option for next year?
You know Horford & Hayward both declined 30+ mil options to sign a longer deal right??? Staying on a relevant bucks team is one thing, but surely Griffin wouldn’t wanna remain on the clueless pistons. He won’t say it publicly but he does miss CP3 as a teammate.
Good points on Horford and Hayward, though I believe they have a lot less injury baggage. Hope Blake stays healthy this year.
And shoot, I miss seeing Blake and CP3 as teammates.
Yup. CP3 made Blake relevant…
NO way he was leaving that $$$$$ on the table…
This is great for the league!
Boom
I mean great and all but lets pump the brakes on everyone thinking this means anything long term-
This probably buys them the next 2 yrs….If theres no progress in the next 2 runs theres prolly a 90+% chance he will be gone before 2023 kicks off- Im sure theres a wink and nod already in place on this as we stand today
At least Mil will get the full haul in a trade package if so at that time so by all means break out those champagne glasses right now and get the party started Mil fans!
I’d almost think after so many were wrong with their completely inaccurate predictions of him not signing the extension/getting traded, people would pump the brakes on making more silly predictions, but I guess not.
This is a completely different scenario-
Take the variables as they come; dont pigeon hole narratives in, it will cloud your lenses in all aspects of life
If you dont think a future trade scenario was discussed before the ink dryed on this between G and mngmt idk what to tell ya, GL-
Giannis is getting the cake and eating it too, it behooves both parties to do it quietly when/if the time comes….the talk was had and an understanding has been made by both parties happily…good for them, Im not trying to sell the next newspaper but that talks been had
Maybe at least wait til some details are revealed. It appears the 15% trade kicker would make such a move nearly impossible. Or did they talk about how to get around that too, even with the unlikely (significant) increase in salary cap in the next 2 years?
To be fair, I’m sure there were many conversations about all kinds of varaiables, but unless someone who actually was in those meetings shares specific details, anything we fans come up with is pure speculation…
Kinda like the guarantees from so many fans that he wouldn’t sign the supermax at all, and demand a trade…
So much salt in the comments section from all the haters.
Heat can now focus on getting the beard:
1)Rockets get Herro, Robinson, Two firsts and two swaps+ Olynyk and Iggy to make the salaries work
2)To trade two firsts they lift protections on the 2023 pick they owe OKC, for which OKC takes on Eric Gordon’s contract (+Nunn) and sends out expiring deals to Houston
3) Heat get Harden
So Houston get 50 cents on the dollar + get out of that Gordon deal
Harden+Dragic+Butler+Bam is better than any team on the East
Harden + Butler on the same team? No way 2 alpha boys can exist on the same team; both want to be supported and not support another player.
I like your proposal ! I just think Okc would need more to take on Gordon bc its not just that he’s overpayed but hes overpayed and not wanted to win-
They can prolly find better ways to leverage that money (Horford) for value than that – Maybe just bump what OKC gets back up a tad more
Disappointed the Raps won’t be able to sign him but star players staying with the teams that drafted them is good for the league.
I just had a thought regarding opt outs in his deal.
He could certainly command a few as a way to ensure hes getting championship caliber teammates and coaches
Maybe in years 3 4 and 5
Also a way to cash in on an extra big jump in the salary cap if the world is back to normal by the end of 2022
Only one opt out and it’s for the 5th year.
Important for the balance of the league. Congratulations Bucks!
This is no surprise. Giannis has never given any indication that he has wanted to leave and has maintained that he is loyal to the Bucks. There has been a ton of baseless media speculation, though. It just means the Bucks need to surround him with a better roster so his talent is not wasted…like Trout in Anaheim.
I don’t think the speculation was baseless – how many players of his talent stay with the teams that draft them? And, I am genuinely surprised that he signed. There was ample reason to put it off for a year, and/or request a trade.
I thought he was a lock to leave, but I was obviously wrong.
Can we get rid of Kostas now?
Give it a couple of weeks so it’s not obvious.
So much for trading Harden for him! Hahaha
No one wants Harden anywhere near the asking price.
Chief, my point is that nobody is going to give up the best young superstar, for Harden.
Yeah I’m just saying the asking price from Houston is likely too high right now. I think that has to change in order for him to be moved, especially since it is now common knowledge that he wants out. I agree with your point.
Thank you. Nice to have an intelligent convo with someone on here without a troll chiming in. Their price is way to high. No chance of them getting anything close to what they want unless they actually think what Miami can offer is close.
Y’all know this just keeps in Milwaukee until after next season so if he doesn’t win a title or go to a Finals next year, he may just demand a trade. This keeps him a Buck for an extra year but sports insiders have been saying for months that the owners were going to have to convince Giannis they would trade him where he wants to go if he wanted out in order to get him to sign the extension.
Yes yes and yes…I think he’ll give them 2 years outta respect and that hes soo young still but yea no finals appearances in next 2 yrs we are back here again only this time the string will be pulled –
Mil fans take this as salt but its really not, signing that paper today insured them so so so much value for a pretty darn long time… Huge win for Mil today
You cant stop a star from hoping off the bus today but you certainly can control the value, logistics, emotions, relationships, and PR on these things – Mil is acing the test so far
The same insiders said he would go to Miami, Dallas, Toronto, GS… so no one believes your opinion now. Giannis has said for years how loyal he was to Milwaukee, going back to his rookie season. He said it this offseason too. He’ll get his ring(s) and retire a Buck like Kobe and Dirk did in LA and Dallas. He’s said several times how he wants to follow their lead.
Sorry but Giannis is not the type of selfish arrogant jerk who would demand a trade (see James Harden). These same stupid “sports insiders” that you seem to worship have been saying he’ll end up with the Lakers, Heat, Warriors, or any other number of teams for the past 6 months. They just like to spout off their crap to try to sound important and knowledgeable
It is kind of a backtracking technique for the elitist bicoastal media members to say: Okay it looks like we were wrong, Giannis won’t be be leaving, but be sure he exchanged winks & nods with ownership about getting traded.
I have predicted he would negotiate more power within the Bucks but that is different— and normal, to some extent. I do not know the method where the contract would be designed to help him break the contract and leave. It’s not in the CBA. The burden of proof is on the bicoastal crowd.
No proof either way..
This is all speculation- Never said G was selfish or arrogant but didnt he just demand more talent to be brought in after they had the best record the last 2 years and lost bc of…… well him in the playoffs for the most part?
Yea he wants to win, he wants more help, we shall see what happens the next 2 years, hell I hope he wins 2 titles…..but if he doesnt , and its not progressing in Mil,your foolish to think we arent here in 2 years
Good for Giannis, good for the bucks & their fans. MIL changed it up for him, this org is clearly dedicated to winning.
Love to see players stay and take the grind to try and win without copping out and joining other stars, then claiming how great they are.
Giannis is clearly a dog, alpha male. Hope they win a title and sets an example for future superstars you can win with the team that drafted you. Congrats to all involved.
LeBron is going to take an ego hit!
now there’s no money for anyone else. who’s gonna be ring chasing in 3 years and signing min. contracts to go to mil?
The Warriors faced this for years and the Lakers did this past year. So the NBA’s future versions of Dwight Howard and Rondo in 3 years will sign. Korver and Williams came to ring chase in Milwaukee last year. Pau Gasol the year before that.
who’s gonna be rondo or howard then in a couple years for the bucks to sign you think?
Starters who are in their late 20s/early 30s right now but on teams without a real shot at a ring. Just a few speculative names: Blake Griffin, Oladipo (who was working out in Greece with Giannis this offseason), Vucevic, Al Horford, DeRozan, Thad Young, Otto Porter. All of these guys have contracts that will end during Giannis’ new contract, and I bet when some are in their mid-30s they’ll take minimums to ring chase. The guys who are younger like Porter might be willing to take the MLE.
i was thinking cousins and derozen. i like griffen being mentioned. maybe drose since it’s close to chicago. good list.
richt@, I totally agree. Guys who have already made their money and hit their early thirties will gladly sign for a minimum contract and be part of a winning organization. A Deep Run in the playoffs is not something everyone gets to experience so crafty valuable veterans will NOT be tough to find for the bucks.
Hey, that thing I kept saying was going to happen happened.
Absolutely elated. I expect he’ll continue having a place at the table in dictating the Bucks future with a trade demand as his leverage.
Good luck to the GSW/NYK fans in your next wildly speculative all-nba acquisition.
Yes absolutely. You strive for the best try to recruit the best then move on if they say no. It’s all part of the challenge.
Rockets have two options
No trade
or
Take 40% value of Harden
Rockets selected no trade
Rockets fans hate the first round picks from those 4 teams
Rockets fans don’t want 5 Firsts any more
Just need 2 Firsts from bad teams like Knicks or Cavs
One old all star and 2 Firsts
The soon-to-charge Cavs should trade the next draft’s first for a good player. Can’t find a target on the Rockets though and I would not wish Houston on KLove.
To all of you who just can’t get away from money. To all of you that don’t understand loyalty. To all who dogged him for months. To all of that just can’t see the glass half full. To all the fake NBA fans here. I hope now you can stop talking the nonsense. The ridiculous trade proposals. The insane places he would go as FA. I hope now you understand. There are players who are happy with who they are and where they are. To Bucks fans. You have a real superstar who is a super person. Congratulations, now don’t mess it up. Bucks have a great opportunity for a title and a great run. As long as Giannis is here. Enjoy it and support it.
Now that 30% of you have been exposed. Please try and get informed before you criticize. We all have the right to an opinion. But must you always share it. Love this game. Bucks are a favorite for the East always thought that. Now we should all think that. Holiday is the one we will all be watching. Remember he’s never won either. So the Bucks are must watch TV. Should be fun.
You know what Knickerbocker Al I always respect your posts and always give you thumbs up and I think you have tremendous basketball knowledge. But some of the language you use here is interesting. “Fake NBA fans, and talking nonsense,” is a fine way to talk with this deal in ink today.
There’s a few writers here that are really talkin it up and gloating with this news today like they were so correct all this time. Then bashing on someone like me who speculated that Giannis could leave the Bucks this year or next. You know what, I don’t think HE even knew until recently.
So be easy with the criticisms of people like me who sensed his indecision and speculated. The Monday Morning Quarterback is always right.., but we only heard part of that story Saturday, and it was not very confidently or loudly.
Nice post Gary and agree about Al hes a good nugget
Ive already heard 4 people hear claim that they ” Called this” – I mean, can you imagine trying to take some grand fashion credit for saying a players going to re-sign w the same team when it had over a 50% chance to begin with- There was obv a lot of heat with G possibly moving….3-4 teams completely shuffled their cap around the possibility of him
There was obv a debate to be had on Sat…I think there still is if this dont go good the next 2 years in Mil but for some reason the Giannis to Mil crowd is really taking this on seriously (* Maybe its a small town/big city grander thing than basketball playing up)?
No offence Al your a great poster I just wanted to jump on Garys point a little more in here
You said it even better Cap & Crunch. And yes we still love Al.., we’re Bros. Good stuff. Just had to bark back a little at the Monday Morning Quarterback gloating.
Congratulations to the Greek freak. What a tough life journey he had and it paid of. I hope he wins a championship In Milwaukee. Next year FA is not looking good. Hope the knicks keep the course in rebuilding and don’t panic and trade for a risky player . Next year draft is expected to be loaded
It doesn’t matter how loaded the draft is, the Knicks will find a way to screw up whomever they pick.
He’s been pretty consistent all along so now will all the Lakers, Heat, Warriors, etc fans believe it? Doubtful and it’s nice to see them cry because “nobody would possibly want to stay in Milwaukee long-term”.
No Laker fans are crying or really ever thought he would be a Laker. That’s just made up sh$t by those with LDS. And what do we really have to cry about these days?
I wouldn’t call it crying. Don’t you ever go for the stars, shoot for the stars and wind up a little short? You don’t cry about it, you shoot again, right? You make goals that are high and strive to reach them. In basketball you try to get the best players and if you don’t get them you go for the second group down the ladder. It’s all part of the challenge and the fun and the game.
I don’t think anybody’s crying, in fact as a Warriors fan I’m happy for the Milwaukee Bucks fans really. Yes happy for them. Hope they can build something great and go to the finals and win a ring. That would be amazing. It was amazing for me when the Warriors did it and it will be amazing for the Bucks fans when they do it. Everyone’s a winner.
Not the crying, the insulting. But way to keep posting.
Consider how being foreign— Nigeria and Greece are both involved— make him more likely, not less, to re-sign in a Midwestern city, given that’s where he started. This despite that most immigrants seem to prefer the east & west coasts, not the north! Brrr. That could be counter-intuitive.
Good for the BUCKS. This is a win for all small market teams everywhere.
Yeah
Not yeat
It’s all about that, yeeeet! Sillivan!
What I am looking forward to is the certain pack of commenters that will now think Giannis is a bad player because he has a max salary. Like Westbrook, Wall, and Chris Paul, among others.
Yes it’s funny, almost all the guys that sign the supermax are suddenly not worth the supermax when they’re playing. It’s almost true though. Curry’s not worth 40 something million dollars per season is he? Or Klay, Wall, Westbrook? The only guy I think really is worth the max is probably LeBron, and also Damian Lillard in Portland, that could be it. Those guys are that important to their teams. I’m probably forgetting a couple guys that are obvious.
That’s how free agency works in all sports though. Baseball players are a prime example. Look at Albert Pujols. He was roughly the equivalent of a young Henry Aaron for the Cardinals for the first decade of his career when he was getting paid well, but not crazy well. But after he got the BIG money, he became maybe the equivalent of an old Steve Garvey, good, but not nearly as good as the money says he should be.
Usually the scales even out by the end of a player’s career even though it look like they were severely overpaid for their production for a few years. It’s because no one remembers they were severely underpaid for their production the first few years. Players aren’t paid for what are going to do so much as for what they have already done. It’s really the only way it can work.
Predictable decision, and the right one for him as it’s the only decision he could make consistent with his character and belief in himself. What would a superstar his age be saying to the NBA world (and himself) if he wanted out (or even had his eye on the door) at this point? The Bucks had the best record in the NBA for each of the last 2 seasons. He is their superstar and leader. Their earlier than expected playoff exits the last 2 years were as much about his own failings as anything else. He wasn’t the best player on the floor in either of those series losses. He should own that, and I believe he does. This decision is consistent with it.
Yes good take and good post as usual DXC. I’ll say that even now that the Bucks gave up so much to bring in Holiday etc, there’s no way he could ditch the team now. Imagine the tremendous guilt. He said show me, and the Bucks went ahead and did exactly that. Win-win all around I think for the NBA and Milwaukee and the Bucks.
I do have a question for a Milwaukee resident. Does Giannis partake in a lot of endorsements on the local level? Is he taking advantage of advertising income like so many other guys?
Definitely. He was doing lots of local ads a few years ago (BMO Harris Bank, Palermo’s Pizza), but now doing maybe more nationals than locals (JBL, Hulu, Nike). He’s making better money from those I’m sure, but in Milwaukee! These days it doesn’t matter what city you’re in: as an NBA player, you can be a star anywhere.
A-ha, another reason to re-sign: consistent branding.
He can join Dame as the best player in the league with no chance at winning a title
No chance, huh? Follow basketball much?
The Blazers added Wings this offseason which was their downfall the past 6 years or so. They had the big men and the guards.. they just needed strong Wings, which is what it takes to win in the NBA these days. Blazers did that and they could go farther than you think this year.
What about the Anthony Davis extension?
His previous deal had expired, so it was technically just a free agent contract, not an extension.
I’ll say at least their arena dont smell like rank old farts unlike some jobs in northern cali…oh giannis…effkaristo malaka…
I’m happy for Giannis and for the City of Milwaukee. This guy is the real deal…both as a basketball player and as a human being. He loves his teammates, loves his town, and loves his fans. And we love him. Such an amazing difference between Giannis and some of these other guys, like that selfish malcontent whiner James Harden
You have to admit that it did take the Milwaukee Bucks stepping up and acquiring a couple of guys to sway Giannis. I’ll admit that I thought he was as good as gone by listening to his talk the last year. He didn’t say he was leaving but he did not say he was staying. That was yhe reason for the speculation.
But it’s super exciting that the Bucks DID step up and in turn Giannis said, okay let’s do this. Great to see for the league and as a Warriors fan I say congratulations.
He can have fun watching Steph win ring after ring after ring—maybe even a couple up close!
You mean the ring of the phone when Curry calls and begs to play for the Bucks? Ha!
He’ll be very up close to see Steph win those rings because Steph will be on the Bucks with him.
Half of the players with supermax contracts have played for the Rockets, who supposedly have the cheapest owner in the NBA. That makes sense.
No one except Houston has had two supermax players together as teammates, and the Rockets have now done that twice. What a cheap franchise.
An upper middle one, financially.
Steph and Klay. Steph and Durant. Maybe those guys weren’t Max? I thought they were. So that’s two just like Harden and Paul, Harden and Westbrook, no?
Haven’t the Rockets done it three times? Harden with Paul then Westbrook then John Wall?
This slightly hurts the lakers chances of getting him
This puts Harden as the focus of the Heat.
Also, Giannis wanted to stay as both baby mamas said they don’t want to leave Milwaukee.