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The Milwaukee Bucks already locked up their franchise star in Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this season. Now they got his star point guard committed for the foreseeable future. Jrue Holiday has reportedly signed a massive four-year extension with the Bucks worth up to $160 million, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Milwaukee star guard Jrue Holiday and the Bucks have agreed to a four-year maximum contract extension worth up to $160 million, his agent Jason Glushon of @GlushonSM told @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2021
Since his trade to the Bucks in November, Holiday better familiarized himself with the roster, coaching staff and front office, and wanted to commit to the franchise and years of competing for championship in Milwaukee. https://t.co/CFisFXNFB9 https://t.co/4rbtLGPzTo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2021
Jrue Holiday’s max extension with the Bucks includes a player option in Year 4. https://t.co/PieJz0PDkj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2021
This keeps the Bucks' trio of stars tied down for years to come. Khris Middleton was the earliest to sign a long-term deal, keeping him in Wisconsin up until the 2022-23 season, with a player option for the next. Antetokounmpo's contract goes two years beyond that, with the earliest opt-out date being 2025.
Milwaukee has gone all-in on their core here, giving them a clear title window of at least three years. Admittedly, anything but an extension with Holiday would have been a major loss for the Milwaukee Bucks. They gave up an exorbitant trade package to get him, despite not having assurance of the extension.
Holiday is having a relatively solid season for the Bucks. His scoring and assist numbers are down this year, at just 17.0 points and 5.4 assists per game. However, his efficiency has gone through the roof. Jrue is averaging over 50% from the field for the first time in his 12-year career. He's also matching his career high rate from downtown at a 39% clip, but doing so at a much higher volume than before at 4.8 attempts per contest.
The diminished raw numbers may seem misleading, given he's definitely been a major boon for the Bucks this year. He's learned to play off Giannis Antetokounmpo, which is exactly what they needed from him.
But Jrue Holiday's true value to the Bucks may not manifest until the postseason, when teams key in on Giannis. That's when a third offensive weapon like Holiday needs to become worth his massive contract. Time will tell how it all ends up in Milwaukee, but for now Bucks fans can breathe an extended sigh of relief.
