Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed to a freelance extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, the two-time MVP introduced himself on Twitter. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski went on to document the main points: 3 years for $186 million with a player-option for the 2027-28 season. That choice lets in Antetokounmpo to develop into a unfastened agent in 2027, when the contract of recent teammate Damian Lillard expires, in large part linking the 2 of them in combination in Milwaukee for the following 4 seasons.
Antetokounmpo become eligible for an extension in September, however claimed previous within the offseason that he didn’t plan to signal one as a result of doing so would have intended forgoing the additional cash ready a yr would have allowed him to earn. During that media excursion, he made it transparent that his purpose was once to compete for championships, whether or not that was once in Milwaukee or in other places.
That tactic has labored smartly for Antetokounmpo prior to now. He has now two times successfully used the leverage of a brief contract to persuade the Bucks to make competitive win-now strikes. In 2020, three hundred and sixty five days clear of turning into a unfastened agent, the Bucks traded for Jrue Holiday. Antetokounmpo favored the transfer sufficient to re-sign, and the Bucks received the 2021 championship. This time, the transfer was once for Lillard, and Milwaukee is hoping for the same consequence.
Antetokounmpo is 28 now, and with this new deal, he’s going to be eligible without spending a dime company on the age of 32. That is notable making an allowance for the age of his teammates. Khris Middleton is 32 now. Lillard is 33 and Brook Lopez is 35. Antetokounmpo has now dedicated to making an attempt to win with this crew for so long as it remains in combination, however given the relative adolescence in Milwaukee, the Bucks are going to have to give you the chance to upload younger ability over the following a number of years if it desires to be sure that Antetokounmpo retires within the Cream City.
For now, although, this is a gigantic victory for the Bucks group. Their purpose this offseason, before everything, was once to persuade Antetokounmpo to keep put past his prior contract. He has agreed to do exactly that, and via signing early, he is even performed so at a slight bargain. Now the Bucks can focal point on their championship pursuit with out the worry of dropping their easiest participant.