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For a few years now there have been the faintest whispers of Giannis Antetokounmpo finding his way to the Golden State Warriors. The Milwaukee Bucks 26 year old two-time MVP, who was set to be a free agent after the upcoming season, had said on multiple occasions that his future contracts would be impacted by where he could win.
The Warriors had reportedly been laying the foundation for a plan to land the star, either in a sign and trade or if he were to force a trade, as stars like Anthony Davis and Paul George did. And Golden State seemed like a natural destination for Antetokounmpo, given that they have a dynastic setup, and that the Greek Freak seems to be one of the few NBA players who gives Steph Curry the credit and reverence that is deserved.
But it won’t happen. Or at least it won’t anytime soon.
On Tuesday, Antetokounmpo announced that he was signing an extension to stay with the team that drafted him with the No. 15 pick in 2013.
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. pic.twitter.com/895tCBE9RK
— Giannis Ugo Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) December 15, 2020
Numerous outlets have reported that it’s a five-year supermax worth $228 million, with an opt-out for the final year.
As @Giannis_An34 tweeted, he is signing his extension with the Bucks. His agent, Alex Saratsis, tells ESPN it will be for the full five-year, $228M super max, including an opt-out after the fourth year.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2020
That means that, barring a shocking trade, Antetokounmpo will be with the Bucks through the 2024-25 season at the least, with the 2025-26 season being a player option.
This is probably a good thing for the league, and certainly helps keep some competitive balance. But it is a blow for the Warriors, even if their plans and hopes were tenuous to begin with.