The Bucks are assuredly thrilled to have a long-term commitment from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo briefly had fans in Milwaukee very nervous based on some of his comments earlier this offseason about potentially leaving the team if they didn’t improve their commitment to winning.
He also spoke on the record several times about not wanting to sign a contract extension with the Bucks because it did not make financial sense. Then he went and did it anyway.
This decision certainly goes against everything that he had said during the summer. For example, he said the following during an interview with Tania Ganguli (via New York Times):
“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers-wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know.”
Antetokounmpo clearly had concerns about the state of the roster and the direction of the franchise in Milwaukee, which was answered by trading for Lillard.
But there were still financial reasons why it made sense for Antetokounmpo to wait. He was eligible for a three-year, $169 million deal this offseason and that would spike to become a four-year, $233 million if he waited until 2024.
Even after trading for Damian Lillard, the former NBA Finals MVP offered a similar take during Milwaukee’s media day:
“It did not make sense to sign a contract right now,” Antetokounmpo said. “Money’s not important, a lot of [expletive] money’s important, so I’m going to sign it next year. But, no, at the end of the day it doesn’t make sense. It does not make sense for me to sign right now. I’ve always got to look towards what’s the best for me and my family and my situation.”
He continued, adding the following:
“Anyway, any place you put it, it doesn’t make sense for me to sign this year. … Hopefully, I can have an offer, I can have a good season, the team can have a good season and win a championship and everybody is happy and everybody is being taken care of next year. And hopefully the offer is there on the table and maybe I can take it.”
So what changed? This is an explanation from ESPN’s Bobby Marks:
“Here is the rationale on why extending now made more sense financially in the future for Giannis:
The extension includes a player option in 2027-28 and allows Antetokounmpo to benefit financially in the future with his next contracts.
Because of the Over-38 rule, Antetokounmpo could sign a short-term extension again with Milwaukee in 2026 and then a four-year extension with the Bucks in 2028.”
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal came together quickly and could really “maximize Antetokounmpo’s earnings over the course of his career” in Milwaukee.
Based on that reporting, this means Antetokounmpo may plan to eventually sign deals with the Bucks that would have him on the roster until 2032 when he is 38 years old.
Of course, the front office will need to continue a commitment to winning to keep him satisfied. As of right now, though, it seems that he is in Milwaukee for the foreseeable future.
