Milwaukee Bucks: 5 reasons Giannis Antetokounmpo should re-sign

3. Management is willing to spend money on top talent

Not long after they were eliminated from the playoffs by the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Larsy reportedly had a meeting with Giannis to discuss the future. Reportedly, he communicated to the reigning MVP that the franchise is willing to spend into the luxury tax to put the best team possible on the floor.

While to the casual fan, this commitment certainly makes sense, other teams in similar situations have failed to uphold their end of the bargain. Back in the 2000s, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a phenomenal 25-year-old forward who’d just won back to back league MVP awards by the name of LeBron James. He played out his contract instead of signing an extension and the team tried everything they could to get him to stay, even coming out with a music video that featured then Ohio State Buckeyes head football coach Jim Tressel and state governor Ted Strickland.

However, the Cavaliers were not able to hold onto their native son. The previous season, they’d refused to pull the trigger on a trade that would’ve landed them a prime Amar’e Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns. Doing so would’ve meant spending into the luxury tax to sign Stoudemire to an extension, which management was not willing to do. Pat Riley, on the other hand, told the Kid from Akron he could have anything on the shelf; no need to look at the price tag. LeBron took his talents to South Beach and the rest is history.

Antetokounmpo is playing for a management team that understands you get what you pay for. The fact that they recognize he’s a generational talent and they’re willing to open their checkbooks to support him should be comforting. If he leaves the organization, the pressure to win now will only increase. Staying where he’s comfortable with an organization willing to hold up their end of the bargain should be an added incentive to stay.