Giannis signs supermax!!!

[mufan2003]

Awesome news!!! I was getting nervous with less than a week left to sign.

https://twitter.com/Giannis_An34/status/1338912608662003715?s=19

[IWB]

"This is my home, this is my city..."

Gotta love a super star player that wants to be in Milwaukee!

[mufan2003]

The first day Giannis was eligible to sign was November 22. Training camp opened December 3. December 6 was his birthday. All of these dates coming and going made me more pessimistic.

Add to that the fact Miami made no secret they wanted to pursue him next summer (among others). After easily defeating the Bucks in the playoffs. National media wanted to see him in a major market. Giannis stayed loyal, just a great day!

[Goose85]

It is a great day, and now we will have the opportunity for the Deer District to be rocking for years to come.

Makes this season more enjoyable to watch knowing there is no stress. Should keep Holiday here too.

[mufan2003]

Listening to Sirius XM NBA Radio this evening, running some errands, they had NBA beat writers on from Miami, Toronto and Dallas. All confirmed their respective teams were strongly targeting Giannis for next summer.

Giannis turned down some attractive alternatives to stay in Milwaukee.

[mufansince72]

As a season ticket holder, who had a deadline three days before Giannis, on 21/22 tickets, I am extremely happy today that my decision was made for me.

[MUfan12]

I'm 35, have been a Bucks fan since I could remember. I've never seen this city embrace an athlete (non-Packer) like we have with Giannis.

He's our guy. We watched him grow up, supported him, and that love was reciprocated yesterday. It's great to see. Now let's win a damn title.

[mufansince72]

I'm 35, have been a Bucks fan since I could remember. I've never seen this city embrace an athlete (non-Packer) like we have with Giannis.

He's our guy. We watched him grow up, supported him, and that love was reciprocated yesterday. It's great to see. Now let's win a damn title.

Amen

[MUAlphaBangura]

So, as fans, we are all excited that Giannis stayed loyal to Milwaukee and the Bucks organization. He also will be paid more than anywhere else he would have gone. But, IF Giannis wants to win a championship, did he make the right move? I say no as I don't feel the Bucks have the front office or head coach to get Giannis a championship. There were a lot of stories out there about the teams that were going to be interested in talking to Giannis, one being the Miami Heat. Again, IF you want to win a championship, don't you have to listen to what Pat Riley has to sell?? The guy has won a championship in each of the last 6 decades.

I hope it works out, and it will be a pleasure to continue to watch Giannis in a Bucks uniform but I'm not confident enough in our organization as a whole that they are capable of bringing a championship to Milwaukee.

[mufan2003]

So, as fans, we are all excited that Giannis stayed loyal to Milwaukee and the Bucks organization. He also will be paid more than anywhere else he would have gone. But, IF Giannis wants to win a championship, did he make the right move? I say no as I don't feel the Bucks have the front office or head coach to get Giannis a championship. There were a lot of stories out there about the teams that were going to be interested in talking to Giannis, one being the Miami Heat. Again, IF you want to win a championship, don't you have to listen to what Pat Riley has to sell?? The guy has won a championship in each of the last 6 decades.

I hope it works out, and it will be a pleasure to continue to watch Giannis in a Bucks uniform but I'm not confident enough in our organization as a whole that they are capable of bringing a championship to Milwaukee.

You raise some good points. My take:

(1) On the Miami angle (and other franchises), I was just talking about this yesterday with a colleague. As glad I am that he signed, it would have been hard to blame Giannis for taking it to next summer and hearing the presentation by Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra. Winning tradition and culture. Along with Toronto and Dallas. However, Giannis' situation is unique, Milwaukee is like his birthplace in the United States. He didn't grow up in NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami and then get drafted by Milwaukee. Same for his mother, Milwaukee is her home when it comes to the United States. Giannis said the other day that he asked his mom if she wanted to move and she said "no". I believe they bought a home in River Hills not too long ago, and his mom lives with Giannis. Plus, there is the $228 million to $140-160 million aspect :cool:.

(2) Giannis is only 26, LeBron is 35 just coming off another championship. Giannis can opt-out in the summer of 2025 when he is 30. At that point, if the Milwaukee experience has been a train wreck, he can go elsewhere while still in his prime and with plenty of time to win rings. As Giannis pointed out the other day, the Bucks have only been serious contenders in 18-19 and 19-20. He wants more time, at the level he is at now, to win championships here. A lot of Giannis' previous time in Milwaukee were his formative years, developing, getting stronger and better. They invested in him and now he wants to reap the rewards with this city that raised him. I admire that.

(3) I think Budenholzer is a great coach. He was voted COY by his peers twice in the last three years. He won the NBA's official COY award twice (once in Atlanta and once in Milwaukee). Budenholzer can't make Bledsoe not shoot 20% in the playoffs. As good as Giannis is, he can't make mid-range or 3-point shots for Giannis either. That pairing was detrimental come playoff time from an offensive standpoint. Bud is not without fault, he has to adjust more to certain teams in the playoffs. Defending the 3-point shot has been a weakness of his teams. His drop scheme and protecting the restricted area did not work well against Miami. He is by no means perfect, but he is an upper echelon coach in the NBA along with guys like Erik Spoelstra, Billy Donovan, Gregg Popovich, Nick Nurse, Rick Carlisle.

(4) The best aspect of Giannis signing was that everything does not hinge on this season. The daily/weekly distraction throughout the season had Giannis not signed would have been obnoxious for coaches, teammates and fans. I think it would have taken the joy out of the season. I think the pressure is now on Budenholzer and Giannis come playoff time. Bledsoe is gone. How will Jrue Holiday perform? What do they get from Portis, Augustin and Forbes? Will DiVincenzo progress? Can DJ Wilson crack the regular rotation? It will be fun to watch without the constant distraction of Giannis' pending unrestricted free agency.