2:40pm: Kalaitzakis‘ three-year, minimum-salary deal with the Bucks is currently 50% guaranteed ($462,629) in year one and will become 50% guaranteed ($781,759) for year two if he remains under contract through August 25, 2022, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac.
12:44pm: The Bucks have officially signed Georgios Kalaitzakis, the last pick in this year’s draft, to his first NBA contract, the team announced today in a press release. According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link), it’s a three-year deal.
A 6’8″ guard/forward from Greece, Kalaitzakis has been under contract with Panathinaikos since 2016, having spent four seasons with the Greek club and one year on loan to Nevezis Kedainiai in Lithuania in 2019/20. The Pacers drafted the 22-year-old with the No. 60 pick on behalf of the Bucks, sending his rights to Milwaukee in a trade involving the No. 31 selection.
Assessing the pick on draft night, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony praised Kalaitzakis’ physical tools, positional versatility, and “terrific” frame, but cautioned that he’s an average decision-maker and shooter whose stock leveled off over the last couple years due to his lack of playing time for Panathinaikos. Kalaitzakis averaged just 2.6 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 27 Greek League and EuroLeague games in 2020/21.
Milwaukee used a portion of its mid-level exception to complete the signing, which allowed the team to offer Kalaitzakis more than just two years. The Bucks, who also used $4MM of their mid-level on George Hill, aren’t hard-capped because they haven’t spent more than the $5.89MM taxpayer portion of the MLE.
Unlike a veteran or undrafted free agent, Kalaitzakis will only count for about $926K for tax purposes, assuming he signed for the rookie minimum, which should help keep the Bucks’ year-end tax bill in check.
Interesting that a 2nd round pick get a 3 year deal
Why is a guy who averaged 2 PPG in Greece getting drafted?
Because young Greek players are not getting any playing time over here. We prefer old Americans over them. There no such thing as rebuilt, major teams need to win all the time so there no space for young players to
That’s why Giannis didn’t have any playing time or elonged to any major team before he went to Milwaukee
I mean Ricky Rubio averaged 6 points and 4 assists right before his first NBA year
Who ????
The article just told you who he is. This “who?” joke is really not funny.
I’m sure you now know all about him. Since you need to be told everything. WTF are you. The Greek authority.
I know all about him and you sound so arrogant with this “who” s**t
You know SO much that all you got is about me. Go do it Greek style go away
It’s not called Greek style in Greece fyi
He’s gonna be great with Giannis has a mentor, i view him developing into Bogdan Bogdanovic kind of player!
Best rookie contract ever for a 60th pick?
We’ll see how much is guaranteed. Sam Merrill got his first year guaranteed and a partial guarantee in year two as the No. 60 pick in 2020.
I look for him to double those numbers in the nba!
“Unlike a veteran or undrafted free agent, Kalaitzakis will only count for about $926K for tax purposes, assuming he signed for the rookie minimum”
Why would he count less toward the cap than any undrafted FA, assuming the latter is a rookie also making rookie minimum?
Cap hit would be the same, but an undrafted FA counts as the two-year veteran’s minimum rather than the rookie minimum for tax penalty purposes.
I just learned how to pronounce Antetokounmpo and now this! I’m just going to start learning Greek if these signings continue.
To be honest Giannis urname is Nigerian, only his first name is Greek. This one is 100% Greek