The Greek Freak Extends!

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        There is no doubt that Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA however this summer his future in Milwaukee was in question. This past season Giannis and the Bucks finished with the best record in the entire league and were the favorite to win the NBA championship. In their first-round matchup against the Miami Heat Giannis was sidelined for most of the series with a back injury which he suffered in Game 1. However, even when Giannis returned for Games 4 and 5, the Bucks just did not have an answer for Jimmy Butler. The Milwaukee Bucks faced total embarrassment losing the first-round series to the 8th seed Miami Heat in five games, making the Heat just the sixth 8th seed in NBA history to beat the 1st seed. 




        Now Giannis still has a couple years left on his current contract however he was eligible for an extension but told the Bucks and the NBA world that he was in no rush to sign it. After losing the first-round series he wanted to make sure the Bucks and his teammates are dedicated to winning. After their early playoff exit the Bucks decided to release Mike Budenholzer from his head coaching duties. Budenholzer helped bring back a championship to the city of Milwaukee in 2021, the first time the Bucks won the championship in 50 years. The Bucks replaced him with assistant coach AJ Griffin who has no past experience in NBA head coaching. 




        Of course a new head coach was no where near enough to convince Giannis that the Bucks are dedicated to winning however they did make a huge move that convinced him. Early October, the Milwaukee Bucks landed All-Star Guard Damian Lillard in a three-team deal. With the arrival of Lillard the Bucks moved on from Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen. As well as giving up a first-round pick and two first-round pick swaps. 




        The Bucks were already looking to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and the entire league but this move makes them appear to be the team to beat. With the acquisition of Damian Lillard, Giannis is convinced the team is dedicated to winning and it was recently announced that Giannis signed his extension. His extension is worth up to $177 Million over 3 years. Giannis still has a couple years left on his current deal and his new deal kicks in to begin the 2025-26 season. The first two years of the extension are fully-guaranteed and the final year is a player option. For the moment the Bucks and Giannis are on the same page and have the same goal in mind. 
Location: Florida, USA

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