With training camp approaching, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo still has not decided on his supermax extension offer. As of now, that contract is worth a projected $228.2 million, at a minimum, over five years. The deal would keep Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee through 2026.
“That’s a lot of money to leave on the table!” one general manager told HoopsHype.
The one bright spot in the Bucks’ offseason is acquiring one-time All-Star Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans. While the Bucks will likely continue to dominate the regular season, Holiday gives them an edge that could help them get over the hump in the playoffs.
Aside from the Holiday acquisition, the Bucks’ offseason took an unexpected turn for the worse. Three days ahead of free agency, a botched sign-and-trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic was leaked. Whether there was a deal agreed upon or not, the Bucks did not end up getting Bogdanovic, and they had to change their plans dramatically. They filled out their roster instead by adding DJ Augustin, Bobby Portis, Torrey Craig, and Bryn Forbes.
Will the addition of Holiday be enough to offset the botched Bogdanovic acquisition that happened to the Bucks this offseason for Antetokounmpo to extend? Bogdanovic is a good player, but his inclusion shouldn’t be a make-or-break factor in this decision. Still, the Bucks have filled out their roster up to the hard cap, and there’s not much else for Antetokounmpo to wait on. He needs to decide soon whether he can trust Milwaukee’s front office and ownership group to keep the best team around him as possible over the next six years.
While we wait on his decision, let’s take a look at some of the teams that are looking to sign him next offseason. The current salary cap projection of $112,414,200 million for the 2021-22 season will be used in salary cap calculations. The maximum contract other teams can offer Antetokounmpo based on that projection is $145 million over four years, which has a starting salary of $33,724,200.