2017 NBA free agency grades: Tony Snell agrees to re-sign with Milwaukee Bucks

With one major free agent before them, the Milwaukee Bucks did not waste any time. They began 2017 NBA Free Agency by agreeing to bring back Tony Snell.

In the wake of the Miami Heat assembling a trio of superstars in their prime, the NBA put together sharp punishments for overloading a roster with expensive talent. As such, teams over the last eight years have done their best to dance around paying the luxury tax. The Milwaukee Bucks may have sashayed right over the line with their latest potential signing.

Shooting guard Tony Snell was the team’s top priority entering free agency. Because their other key players were already under contract for multiple seasons, the Bucks found themselves floating atop an already heavy payroll. With the salary cap lowering from projections of $102 down to $99 million, Milwaukee and many teams league wide were suddenly looking at the looming glacier of the luxury tax.

Snell was unexpectedly a key player for the Bucks this past season. After starting 2-guard Khris Middleton went down prior to the season with a torn hamstring, Milwaukee flipped former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams to the Chicago Bulls for oft-marginalized shooting guard Tony Snell.

The 25-year-old wing started out of necessity for Milwaukee early in the year, and exceeded expectations. His length fit the Bucks’ aggressive defensive scheme perfectly, and he showed off an ability to drain shots from outside when given space to get his shot off — a luxury not afforded him often in Chicago.

By the time Khris Middleton returned, Snell was playing too well to relegate to a smaller bench role. Instead of swapping him out for Middleton, Snell kept his starting spot and Middleton started at the 3, with Giannis Antetokounmpo moving to the 4.

His resurgent play this season meant that Milwaukee had a gift and a problem. They turned a disintegrating asset in Carter-Williams into a starting-level 2-guard who fit their system and culture very well — a perfectly executed trade. And yet with Snell hitting restricted free agency, he would now be expecting a payday based on his career year.

With the Bucks staring down the luxury tax, expectations for whether they would bring back Snell were all over the place. The possibility of Snell heading around the league to sign an offer sheet loomed, but never came to fruition. Optimism over signing Snell early in the process —

— became a contract agreement immediately upon the stroke of midnight ET as Snell and the Bucks agreed to terms:

For Snell, he locks up $11 million per season one year after legitimately wondering if his qualifying offer would be turned down by the Bulls this summer. With a player option on the fourth year, Snell can re-enter the market with seven years of experience and go after a larger contract

If his fit in Milwaukee continues to be as seamless as this past season, he will earn that contract. With Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, starting on a future Eastern Conference contender could maximize his value and highlight his strengths.

For Milwaukee, they could have held out longer and hoped that the money available on the open market dried up quickly. While that was possible, it was equally possible that another team inked Snell to an offer sheet for $13-16 million per season, putting the Bucks in a bind to match or see a crucial piece walk away.

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

By getting an agreement done early, they both set the contract on their terms and communicated to Snell he was a priority. In a vacuum, a contract worth on average $11 million annually is incredibly reasonable for a young two-way wing who stretches the floor. Even with the luxury tax looming, the Bucks made the right move in bringing back Snell.

Grade: B+