Milwaukee Bucks: Jrue Holiday will be a Buck for life
The Milwaukee Bucks officially announced on early Sunday afternoon that they have signed underappreciated guard Jrue Holiday to a four-year, $135 million contract extension with bonuses that could raise the deal up to $160 million. The agreement also includes a player option for the fourth year (2024-25 NBA season).
After racking up 33 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, and three steals in a tight win without the back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday evening, Holiday spent the next day celebrating much more than just Easter.
Jrue earns a rewarding payday while committing himself long-term to an organization that will consistently be competing for championships. In the eyes of Holiday, this is a massive win-win scenario for the 30-year-old point guard.
Jrue Holiday will be a Milwaukee Bucks fixture for life
As Jrue Holiday enters the later stages of his career, this new contract extension could indicate that he intends to play the remaining of his prime years in the city of Milwaukee. As long as the Bucks are competing for championships, there’s no reason why Holiday would want to leave Milwaukee.
Moments after signing the extension, Jrue addressed Bucks fans by stating, “I’m a Buck for life. Just know that I’m glad to be a part of Bucks Nation, and let’s do some big things, man. I’m really excited.”
The Milwaukee Bucks should be extremely happy as well since they have now locked in their three star players long-term. Khris Middleton is under contract through the 2023-24 season, Jrue through the 2024-25 season, and Giannis through the 2025-26 season.
General manager Jon Horst and the Milwaukee front office have done an outstanding job building this elite core that seems destined for lasting success, and it’s relishing to see a small market team like the Bucks maintaining their All-Star caliber players. Middleton, Antetokounmpo, and now Holiday have all chosen to stay in Milwaukee long-term and that should be viewed as a great accomplishment for not only the Bucks but for the league as a whole.
It certainly helps to have a generational superstar in Giannis along with dedicated resources such as the recently new Fiserv Forum arena and other modernized facilities to help attract players to Milwaukee, but the Bucks organization has created a winning and desirable culture that suits the values of players around the league.
Despite being a small market, Milwaukee is now an attractive destination for players to commit to, and Jrue Holiday just happens to be the latest example.
The Bucks did not overpay Jrue Holiday
While the Bucks have their long-term core intact, they have committed a large portion of salary to those guys, which will cause limited flexibility moving forward. The big three of Giannis, Khris, and Jrue will be owed over $110 million next season when Giannis and Jrue’s extensions kick in, and it will only grow each year.
Here’s the breakdown of money owed to Milwaukee’s “big three” over the next couple of years:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
- 2021-22: $39.3M
- 2022-23: $42.4M
- 2023-24: $45.6M
- 2024-25: $48.7M
- 2025-26: $51.9M (player-option)
Khris Middleton
- 2021-22: $35.5M
- 2022-23: $37.9M
- 2023-24: $40.3M (player-option)
Jrue Holiday’s four-year extension worth up to $160 million has yet to publicly provide details on how much he’s set to make annually and what potential bonuses are at stake, but we do know that he’ll make around an average of $33.8 million per year plus opportunities to raise it.
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Either way, Horst and the front office will next be challenged by adjusting to the salary cap and working around the limited flexibility that they will face financially down the road. Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton are also under contract through the 2022-23 season, so Milwaukee will be flirting with the luxury tax for the next couple of years.
All in all, committing all this money toward their established core is worth it, especially for a small-market team with an open window to consistently compete for championships.
Jrue was worth every asset that the Bucks gave up to acquire him from New Orleans in the offseason, and he’s worth every penny that the Bucks are giving up now to extend him long-term. He’s been a perfect fit with the Bucks and the world will see how valuable he truly is once the postseason comes around. The two-way stud shows up when it matters most.
Holiday will win playoff games for the Bucks, unlike Eric Bledsoe, who unfortunately lost playoff games for them for the most part. Jrue has identified himself as the clear No. 2 option for Milwaukee, and he’ll become the guy that will take over games when Giannis isn’t feeling it.
Jrue Holiday has been underrated throughout his entire career, and the Milwaukee Bucks simply understand his immense value. Despite having three players set to make over $30 million annually, the Bucks have now positioned themselves as legit title contenders for the long run with Jrue officially joining Giannis and Khris as part of the core future.
What more could you ask for? There’s something special brewing in Milwaukee.
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