Milwaukee Bucks Rumors: Belief that Jrue Holiday could get max contract
According to a report from HoopsHype, some executives believe new Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday could eventually garner a max contract, should he pursue free agency.
The Milwaukee Bucks paid a king’s ransom to acquire Jrue Holiday over the offseason last year.
While we’re seeing the first several games of Holiday in a Bucks uniform and has been showing very encouraging signs on that front, the Bucks certainly took great risk to acquire the veteran guard from the New Orleans Pelicans in the middle of November.
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In a recent episode of the HoopsHype podcast hosted by Michael Scotto, Scotto relayed the belief that some NBA executives have in what Holiday could field in the open market, should he decline his $26.2 million player option for next season:
"“Executives think this guy can even get a max contract this summer. That’s only been enhanced given the extensions that happened and Spencer Dinwiddie getting hurt. When you look at the point guard position, Chris Paul could hit the market depending on what he does with his player option, but for Holiday, he has so much leverage given the trade assets they gave up to get him."
Scotto makes reference to an earlier report he had on Holiday’s leverage after Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo signed his supermax extension last month. Not that that should act as confirmation as the price the Bucks gave up to acquire Holiday certainly reinforces how many bargaining chips are on his side of the negotiating table.
The Milwaukee Bucks will certainly make a priority to extend Jrue Holiday as soon as its possible for them.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks ($$) noted in last month, Holiday will be eligible for a contract extension in late February once his trade restriction is lifted on February 26 and the most the Bucks can offer to Holiday is a four-year, $135 million extension.
Given the lack of flexibility the Bucks will have moving forward, especially with Antetokounmpo’s new extension going into effect starting in 2021-22, the Bucks will be eager to get Holiday at that number as they’ll be in the luxury tax for the foreseeable future. Of course, that caps what Holiday can get if he were to decline his player option after the season and hit the open market.
While there is plenty of speculation hanging over what Holiday’s future will be, he is certainly very open to staying in Milwaukee long-term as he discussed before the start of the 2020-21 season:
"“We’re for sure open to it. Again, I’m about winning, and this franchise over the past few years, they have been doing a very good job of that. Man, I’m really trying to win, to be completely honest. I’m trying to put banners up there, put a ring on my finger, and I’m trying to have fun doing it. This really seems like it could be the place for that.”"
While it’s a long season, the Bucks are off to a solid start to the season and could convince Holiday to stay further by vying for an NBA title this season.
Next. 3 players already on Mike Budenholzer’s good side. dark
Fortunately, there isn’t as much reckless speculation surrounding the Bucks this season with Antetokounmpo’s future all squared away. But with Holiday’s future still a question at this point, it’s worth paying close attention to the Bucks’ new star guard for those reasons.