Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo addressed his contract situation Monday, reiterating that it does not make sense financially to sign an extension with the team this year, but added, “I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career as long as we are committed to winning.” Here’s what you need to know:
- “I don’t remember where I said it, but I said it did not make sense to sign a contract right now because money isn’t important, but a lot of f—— money is important, so I’m going to sign it next year,” Antetokounmpo said during the Bucks’ media day ahead of the upcoming season.
- Antetokounmpo, 28, has two years remaining on the five-year, $228 million supermax extension he signed in 2020. He also has a player option for the 2025-26 season.
- Antetokounmpo also addressed Milwaukee’s recent trade for seven-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard, saying, “We added another level to our team. … (The Bucks front office has) shown they’re committed to winning a championship. I’m happy.”
What Antetokounmpo said
Antetokounmpo emphasized the timing for signing an extension now “does not make sense.”
“I gotta always look out for what’s best for me and my family, for my situation, but at the end of the day, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career as long as we are winning. It’s as simple as that,” he said. “Like what do you expect me to say? To be a Milwaukee Buck and be a loser? That’s never going to come out of my mouth.”
He also reiterated his commitment to the team, but said, “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 has been taken care of. Next year, the offer is on the table and maybe I can take it.”
What do his comments today mean?
Antetokounmpo used profanity to get his point across today, but his analysis of the situation is correct, as it had been when his initial comments about his future dropped in an interview with the New York Times. Signing an extension right now to add two years to his current contract would result in a major decrease in his potential career earnings. To fully maximize how much money he can make off of a contract extension, it makes far more sense to wait until next summer and sign a full supermax extension. — Nehm
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(Photo: John Fisher / Getty Images)
