My Thoughts On Giannis’s Max Extension
There has been a lot of talk that Giannis would be leaving Milwaukee, and the only way to avoid him leaving was if Giannis signed a max-extension. This contract would be the biggest in NBA history, but many believed that Giannis would decline and join a real contender. But yet he signed the massive extension, and here are my thoughts on that.
First of all, congrats to Giannis. Giannis went from selling trinkets in Greece to now signing the biggest contract in NBA History. Giannis’s story is incredible, and his talent is undeniable. Wishing nothing but the best for the 2x MVP.
What Does This Mean For Giannis?
Giannis signed this massive contract extension that will start to kick in during the 2021-2022 season. So Giannis has to prove he’s worth this money. Giannis is a 2x MVP winner, a DPOY, as well as a MIP. Giannis’s resume is already quite impressive, but we’re still waiting for him to break through in the playoffs.
Now this isn’t all on Giannis, but at the end of the day he has to play well. I think Giannis needs to rely on his teammates a bit more, and that requires some trust. That also requires his teammates to be ready when called on. That means Holiday, Middleton and others can’t just shut down and let Giannis struggle.
This in turn means that Giannis and Milwaukee need better coaching from Mike Budenholzer. Budenholzer’s system isn’t complicated, and it shuts down in the playoffs because of that. Budenholzer needs to use much more movement in his system, which makes it harder for people to zero in on Giannis. And in the playoffs, he needs to use Giannis in different ways than just at the top of the key. He can use him in the pick and roll as the screener, he can put him on the post, on the wing. Something different that makes defenses think.
I think that’s important now than ever with the East rapidly improving. The Nets, Celtics, and Heat are all very good teams, and the Bucks will likely have to face at least one of them to win a title. They’ll have to improve a lot in order to win.
But Giannis needs to play well. I know a lot of it is bad coaching, but sometimes stars just need to be stars. I’m expecting a lot of Giannis over these next few years, and I don’t think he’ll have a problem succeeding. But this put a massive target on his back. Let’s see how the Greek Freak handles it.
Can Giannis Win With Milwaukee?
One of the reasons that people didn’t think that Giannis would stay is that he wouldn’t win a title there. But I don’t think this is necessarily true. To me, the Bucks officially have one season until winning a title becomes hard. And that year is this year. I don’t see the Bucks winning it this year, but they aren’t far off. They got Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis, and DJ Augustin in free agency. I loved the Jrue Holiday pickup, a far superior Eric Bledsoe.
The Bucks just need some good coaching from Budenholzer, which is a lot to ask I know, but they can do it. But after Giannis’s extension starts to kick in during the 2021-22 season, things will become difficult.
Giannis will be making so much money, that it’ll be harder to build around him. That’s what I mean by this year being their one “easy year.” Because after this, the budget for the rest of the team becomes a lot tighter. You could see a similar thing with Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs. Both situations are similar, except Mahomes has won.
But I don’t think it’s impossible for the Bucks to win a title. Obviously you need breaks, every title team does, but if they can consistently keep a solid 8-10 man rotation around Giannis, they will always be contending.
It’s always tough to look 5-6 years down the future and predict things, but I do expect Giannis to win a title when he’s in his prime with the Bucks.
What Does This Mean For The League
Like I said at the beginning, this was a huge honor for Giannis. But it’s even bigger for the league. Kevin Durant, Lebron James, Kawhi Leonard are just a few names on the long list of players who have left to win a ring. That’s why small markets don’t win anymore, teams like the Lakers always get the best players. And it’s kind of a monopoly.
If Giannis had left, I wouldn’t have criticized him, I would have just felt bad for the Bucks knowing they couldn’t do anything. I think that it’s great that Giannis stayed with Milwaukee. Loyalty isn’t used much anymore by star players, as Damian Lillard and Giannis are sort of dinosaurs when it comes to this. You don’t see many players stick with their original teams when they aren’t winning a title.
This helps show the league that small markets can survive. Now, will other star players look at this and stay with their teams? Unlikely. But it shows that small market teams are able to retain their best players. Nobody in the NBA wants to see another KD-Warriors situation. It ruins the league and it just seems pointless knowing you have that team to get through to win a title. I don’t want to see any more super teams. That’s why Giannis staying to such a big deal.
I have big hopes for Giannis going forward after signing this extension. He and the Bucks are going to be contending for a while, and I don’t think Giannis will finish his career ring-less. I think Giannis did a great service to the league by showing that small market teams can still win and that super-teams should be frowned upon. I have no doubt in my mind that Giannis is making the right decision for himself and the city of Milwaukee.
Did Giannis Make The Right Decision? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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I think Giannis did make a good decision. He’s staying loyal and also the Bucks are a good team for him to perform well. Although the Bucks (like you said) will not be good in a few years because of the max extension, Giannis will still do well. The question is what does Giannis care about more, his stats or a championship? Btw, this is bills_legend from Instagram.