Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks shared a video message from Giannis Antetokounmpo after the two-time reigning NBA MVP announced he's signing a five-year supermax extension with the team. 

"I'm excited for today, big day today," Antetokounmpo said. "I'll be here in Milwaukee for the next five years. This is my home, this is my city."

The 26-year-old has forged a strong connection with the city of Milwaukee through his first seven seasons with the Bucks. Back in 2017, he explained to the New York Times' Marc Stein how he felt comfortable there.

"I'm a low-profile guy," he said. "I don't like all these flashy cities like L.A. or Miami. I don't know if I could be the same player if I played in those cities."

This past summer, Antetokounmpo was among the Bucks players publicly demonstrating as Americans across the country protested against police brutality and social inequality:

The last year and change have been nerve-racking for Bucks fans as Antetokounmpo's contract slowly wound down. Playoff disappointments and personnel mistakes were all viewed through the prism of how it might impact the decision of the team's best player.

On Tuesday, those in Milwaukee received an early Christmas present.

A meeting between Giannis Antetokounmpo's agent and Milwaukee Bucks co-owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens helped seal the deal to keep the two-time NBA MVP with the only franchise he's ever known.

Per The Athletic's Shams Charania, Eric Nehm and Sam Amick, Lasry and Edens "flew to Chicago on Dec. 12 for a midday meeting with [agent Alex] Saratsis" that ultimately ended with Antetokounmpo convinced the Bucks were committed to winning for the long haul. 

On Tuesday, three days after that reported meeting, Antetokounmpo announced on Twitter he was signing a five-year extension with the Bucks:

Saratsis told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski the deal is worth $228 million and includes an opt-out after the fourth year.

The report noted the Bucks first formally presented Antetokounmpo with that supermax offer on Dec. 5 during an in-person discussion at his home. The meeting "lasted several hours" and included the team's brass laid out its strategy moving forward:

"Milwaukee made a series of offseason acquisitions, including trading for Holiday, an All-Star guard and two-way stalwart, to enhance the roster after last season’s second-round playoff defeat. After the potential Bogdan Bogdanovic acquisition fell apart, the Bucks’ front office had a plan in place. It was prepared for the moment, signing key role players in DJ Augustin, Bobby Portis, Bryn Forbes, Torrey Craig and re-signing Pat Connaughton."

Antetokounmpo had until Dec. 21 to sign the extension. If he hadn't, the 26-year-old would have been eligible for free agency next summer and subject of speculation throughout the 2020-21 season. 

Instead of putting himself and the Bucks under that intense microscope, Antetokounmpo will be able to focus all of his attention on bringing a championship to the organization. He's led them to the NBA's best regular-season record in each of the past two seasons, but they haven't reached the Finals since 1974. 

As soon as he formally puts pen to paper on his new contract, the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo will get a payout that is alone worth more than double what he has earned so far in the NBA.

Antetokounmpo announced Tuesday he intends to sign a five-year supermax extension with the Bucks. Per The Athletic's Shams Charania, the deal is for five years and $228.2 million and allows the two-time reigning MVP to opt out in 2025:

According to Basketball Reference, Antetokounmpo has earned just under $81.1 million through his first seven seasons. The number will rise to $108.6 million when adding in the 2020-21 campaign and $336.8 million if he play out the deal through 2025.

By pledging his future to Milwaukee, the four-time All-Star is making history. His contract is the biggest ever, eclipsing Russell Westbrook's five-year, $206.8 million supermax extension he signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in September 2017, per Spotrac. He's also on track to have the highest-ever annual salary ($45.6 million).

His decision could carry significant ramifications across the league beyond just widening the Bucks' championship window. Superteams aren't going away, but marquee stars in non-marquee markets may follow his lead and stick in their surroundings a little longer.

Of course, this doesn't guarantee Antetokounmpo won't leave Milwaukee before the full term of his supermax extension expires. 

In the summer of 2018, Westbrook hosted a party to coincide with Paul George's declaration of his intention to re-sign with the Oklahoma City Thunder. One year later, the Thunder traded George to the Los Angeles Clippers at his behest. 

But this is a conversation in which to delve deeper on a later day. For now, Bucks fans should enjoy getting to watch Antetokounmpo, and the 26-year-old can begin looking forward to the day that first paycheck from his upcoming contract hits his direct deposit.

Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed to sign a five-year extension with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, but the team could have been forced to trade him without a deal in place, according to Shams Charania, Eric Nehm, and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Per The Athletic, the Bucks "would have seriously considered whether they needed to take trade calls on him" if there were no assurances from Antetokounmpo ahead of the season.

The two-time MVP could have become a free agent next summer, and Milwaukee might have been better off getting some return in a trade rather than letting him leave for free in the offseason.

Instead, the forward announced his intention to remain with the team:

The player's agent, Alex Saratsis, confirmed Antetokounmpo will make $228 million over five years as part of his supermax deal, via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Even after a pair of disappointing playoff performances over the last two years, Milwaukee remains a top contender for the NBA title after finishing with the best record in the league in each of those seasons.

According to FanDuel, the Bucks have the second-best odds to win it all at +550 ($100 bet wins $550).

The addition of Jrue Holiday to a lineup that already includes Giannis, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and more could make this a difficult team to beat in 2020-21.

The Bucks acquired Holiday in a four-team deal last month. They mortgaged much of their future in the process, trading two future first-round picks along with two pick swaps. Losing Antetokounmpo for nothing likely would have set the team back for years.

Fortunately, the squad remains in good position with one of the top players in the NBA and a strong supporting cast.

Milwaukee opens the regular season against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Dec. 23. 

The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly explored the possibility of acquiring Victor Oladipo from the Indiana Pacers on the basis of his existing rapport with Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Eric Nehm and Sam Amick.

"However, this offseason consisted of Antetokounmpo spending time with Indiana Pacers two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, working out and hanging out abroad, sources said," the report said. "It is one of the major reasons the Bucks pursued Oladipo and made an offer for him in the offseason, according to sources."

The report came after Antetokounmpo announced his plans to sign a supermax extension with the Bucks:

Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported Nov. 25 that Oladipo "was discussed in numerous trade scenarios, sources said, but Indiana ultimately declined Milwaukee's advances." One hypothetical trade package included Donte DiVincenzo, George Hill and the No. 24 selection in the 2020 NBA draft.

DiVincenzo was also a part of the rumored sign-and-trade for then-Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic that abruptly fell through.

The draft pick was subsequently included in the four-team trade in which the Bucks got Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans.

Especially since it didn't adversely impact the likelihood of Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee, failing to land Oladipo may not have been that bad for the Bucks.

Adding the two-time All-Star would've meant sacrificing roster depth while almost certainly taking on a big financial commitment since Oladipo's due to hit free agency in 2021. That would've been a steep price for a player who hasn't regained his best form since suffering a ruptured quad tendon in January 2019.

Oladipo averaged 14.5 points and 2.9 assists while shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from long range in 19 regular-season games upon returning to the court in 2019-20. His playoff performance was only marginally better as he averaged 17.8 points and 2.5 assists in a first-round sweep by the Miami Heat.

Even before the injury, his electric 2017-18 season looks more and more like an outlier as he wasn't replicating the same kind of production to open 2018-19.

Perhaps Oladipo will have a massive 2020-21 and prove all his skeptics wrong, at which point the Bucks would be kicking themselves that they couldn't work something out with the Pacers.

Barring that outcome, it's hard to see how Oladipo would've meaningfully improved Milwaukee's odds of reaching the NBA Finals if he had joined the squad this offseason.

The Milwaukee Bucks made a huge financial commitment Tuesday by agreeing to sign superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to a five-year contract extension.

Giannis announced the news on Twitter:

Antetokounmpo's agent, Alex Saratsis, confirmed to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that it is a five-year supermax extension worth $228.2 million.

While the extension won't have an impact on the Bucks' salary cap in 2020-21, it will kick in next season when Milwaukee has $142.9 million in cap allocations, per Spotrac.

For this season, Milwaukee's cap number remains at $135.2 million.

According to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, the NBA salary cap will sit at $109 million this upcoming season. Winfield also noted the luxury-tax threshold for the 2020-21 season is $132.6 million, which the Bucks are slightly over for this season and projected to be over next season as well.

The Bucks have 11 players signed through 2021-22. Aside from Giannis, those with the largest financial commitments attached are Khris Middleton ($35.5 million), Brook Lopez ($13.3 million) and Jrue Holiday ($26.7 million player option).

While it remains possible for Milwaukee to shake up its roster next season and beyond, it isn't likely to have any cap space unless it does something drastic.

Because of that, any acquisitions will have to be made via trade or by signing players to exceptions or minimum contracts.

The Bucks made a big move this offseason in an effort to convince Giannis to sign a long-term deal when they acquired Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans in late November. That was apparently enough for Antetokounmpo to feel confident about the team's direction.

With a core of Giannis, Holiday and Middleton, plus a solid supporting cast, the Bucks remain one of the top contenders to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals and potentially win a championship.

While $228 million is a big number, Giannis may be more deserving of it than almost any player in the league.

In addition to being the reigning two-time NBA MVP, Giannis is just 26 years old and has gotten progressively better in each of his seven NBA campaigns.

Last season, Giannis averaged 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.4 three-pointers made, 1.0 block and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the field.

Antetokounmpo is a special player with the ability to lead a team to multiple championships with the right supporting cast, and the Bucks are banking on the fact that they have precisely that.

In signing a five-year contract extension with the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo showed his loyalty to the city of Milwaukee during an era where players are seemingly itching to find themselves a new home. 

He also became the highest-paid player in NBA history.

The five-year, $228.2 million extension Antetoknoumpo said Tuesday he is signing is the largest contract in league history, eclipsing Russell Westbrook's five-year, $206.8 million deal.

The per-year average of Antetokounmpo's contract ($45.6 million) also eclipses the deal recently signed by LeBron James, which averages $44.5 million per season. In 2025-26, Antetokounmpo is set to make a league-record $51.9 million.

"This is my home, this is my city.. I'm blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let's make these years count. The show goes on, let's get it," Antetokounmpo wrote in an Instagram post announcing his extension.

Giannis had until Dec. 21 to agree to an extension, or he would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer. Speculation regarding his future began increasing in recent weeks, as the Bucks' supermax offer sat for most of the offseason unsigned.

Some of that appears to be logistical, with Antetoknoumpo spending most of his offseason out of the United States. However, it was also clear the Bucks needed to make moves to improve the roster around him and did so by sending three first-round picks and two pick swaps to the New Orleans Pelicans for Jrue Holiday.

Retaining Antetoknoumpo is nothing short of a massive win for the Bucks and, to a certain extent, the NBA. Some fans have become increasingly disillusioned by superstar players leaving small markets to team up in free agency in major markets, and the league's supermax contract structure, which was designed to incentivize players to stay with teams, has largely backfired. Players have outright turned down the supermax to find a better situation, pushed for trades after signing the supermax or become cap albatrosses as their play failed to live up to the salary.

While Giannis could request a trade at some point if the Bucks' supporting cast continues failing in the postseason, that does not appear to be in the cards anytime soon. Plus, a quarter of a billion dollars probably buys a whole lot of loyalty from a guy who was just happy to have a smoothie six years ago. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo has ended any speculation about his future after agreeing to a supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Antetokounmpo's agent, Alex Saratsis, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski the two-time NBA MVP will sign a five-year, $228 million contract that includes an opt-out after the fourth season. 

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Antetokounmpo's new contract also includes a 15-percent trade kicker.

Antetokounmpo tweeted out a message about his decision to re-sign:

The Bucks seemed to be under immense pressure heading into next season because of Antetokounmpo's contract status. He would have been eligible for free agency after the 2020-21 campaign if he chose not to re-sign. 

Milwaukee is coming off two consecutive playoff disappointments after having the NBA's best regular-season record in each of the past two seasons. After taking a 2-0 series lead against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks dropped four straight games. 

After going 56-17 during the shortened regular season in 2019-20, the Bucks were steamrolled in five games by the Miami Heat in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. 

Antetokounmpo was unable to play in Game 5 against the Heat because of a sprained ankle. Milwaukee's 103-94 loss prompted discussion about his future with the organization, but it wasn't something the 26-year-old was going to engage with. 

"Some see a wall and go in [another direction]," he told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. "I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season."

Despite those postseason shortcomings, the Bucks are well positioned to remain among the best teams in the East. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has been able to maximize their talent during the regular season since taking over in May 2018. 

General manager Jon Horst acquired Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans, but it came at a steep price of Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and three first-round picks. 

Even though the roster doesn't look as deep as it has been, the Bucks' starting five with Antetokounmpo, Holiday, Middleton, Donte DiVincenzo and Brook Lopez can compete with any team in the NBA.

Antetokounmpo is the engine that makes the machine work. He joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players in NBA history to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. 

During the 2019-20 season, Antetokounmpo set career-highs with 29.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game. He also led the Bucks with 5.6 assists per game. 

A Giannis Antetokounmpo rookie card sold for $1,168,500 early Sunday morning at Goldin Auctions:

The card was rated a 9.5, featuring a perfect 10 for the edges and corners.

An even rarer Giannis rookie card set the record for the highest-priced basketball card in modern history, selling for $1.812 million in September, per TMZ Sports. It edged the previous record of $1.8 million for a LeBron James card earlier this year.

With another card going for seven figures, it's clear the Antetokounmpo market will continue to soar.

Though he doesn't yet have the resume of James or Michael Jordan, the Milwaukee Bucks star is well on his way to an incredible career with two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year award and four All-Star selections.

The 26-year-old was a relative unknown during his rookie season, averaging just 6.8 points per game after being selected No. 15 overall in the 2013 NBA draft. It likely created limited demand for rookie cards at the time, making it an even rarer item for collectors.

The ones that survived seven years later in mint condition should have incredible value going forward.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will enter free agency in the summer of 2021 if he does not sign a supermax deal with his current team, reportedly values winning over playing in a big market, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. 

On Thursday's episode of The Woj Pod (h/t RealGM), Wojnarowski discussed Giannis' mindset:

"The challenge for the Bucks is just selling him on winning. I know this about Giannis: his decision is not about wanting to be in a big market and have all the trimmings that come with Los Angeles or New York or wherever it is. I don't think that's part of his decision making. I think at his core he's immensely loyal. I believe he loves the people in Milwaukee. Loves that community. He loves the organization. But he wants to win and that's what he's weighing."

The reigning back-to-back MVP is eligible to sign a five-year "supermax" extension with the Bucks until Dec. 21, the day before the season begins. 

The Bucks and Antetokounmpo haven't come to terms on a supermax deal yet. However, Wojnarowski said that people shouldn't necessarily assume it will fail to come to fruition.

Milwaukee has earned the NBA's best regular-season record each of the past two seasons but has fallen short in the Eastern Conference playoffs both times.

Milwaukee has retooled this offseason, notably trading George Hill and Eric Bledsoe and adding combo guard Jrue Holiday, who posted 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. He'll form a new big three with Antetokounmpo and All-Star wing Khris Middleton.

The Bucks should be in the middle of a tough Eastern Conference title race, with contenders such as the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors fighting for the NBA Final berth.

Milwaukee shouldn't have any trouble winning games this year, even if a third straight season with the league's top win-loss record appears more unlikely than not. Any team with Antetokounmpo should be in title contention territory at this point, though.

Other title contenders should be in line to sign Antetokounmpo if he enters free agency. Of note, the defending Eastern Conference champion Heat reportedly are interested, per Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

For now, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will look to make the franchise's first NBA Finals since 1974. They open their season on Wed., Dec. 23 at the Celtics.