Giannis Antetokounmpo just signed a moderately unexpected three-year extension with the Bucks, and if you are taking him at his phrase, he actually didn’t even know how much cash the deal used to be price.
“It used to be the primary time in my NBA occupation I didn’t know the quantity of my contract,” Antetokounmpo said on Tuesday. “I just signed it because I wanted to be here.”
For the report, the extension used to be for 3 years and $186 million. Giannis will end out his present contract over the following two seasons at $45.6M and $48.8M, respectively, earlier than the extension begins in 2025-26 at a mean annual wage of $62 million via 2027-28, with that ultimate season being a participant choice.
The explanation why it used to be moderately unexpected that Giannis signed this deal is he mentioned there used to be no explanation why for him to do it earlier than subsequent summer time. That used to be true, financially talking, had he sought a four-year deal, however this can be a shorter dedication. He can turn into a loose agent in 2027, and he’ll turn into eligible to signal some other extension in 2026.
A cynic may just argue that Giannis — with two extra years on his present deal and two ensure years on his subsequent one — is solely aligning himself with the 4 assured years closing on Damian Lillard’s contract up to he is committing to Milwaukee for now and ever.
But there is no doubt this can be a primary weight off the shoulders of the Bucks’ group as Giannis were lots vocal concerning the chance of his going somewhere else prior to the Lillard industry. I in truth argued that the Bucks must imagine buying and selling Giannis because I didn’t see them as having the portions to get into the Lillard sweepstakes and they are contemporary out of belongings to substitute their getting old supporting forged.
But in spite of everything, they were given Lillard. And now they’ve Giannis underneath contract for 4 extra assured years. That does not ensure he’ll keep. Lillard just were given traded with 4 years left on his deal. When a celebrity needs out, he will get out. Giannis may just get started making a song a special track.
But there don’t seem to be any fast indications that he will. Give the fellow credit. He mentioned he sought after to be with the Bucks so long as they had been dedicated to hanging a name contending group round him, and they’ve completed that on two other events now — first via buying and selling for Jrue Holiday, which ended in one name, and now for Lillard, which they are hoping will lead to some other one.