Milwaukee Bucks: 3 questions after converting Mamadi Diakite’s contract
Is Mamadi Diakite ensured to see out the remainder of his contract with the Milwaukee Bucks?
The Bucks’ front office helmed by general manager Jon Horst showed off their collective ingenuity in locking down Diakite to a multi-year deal.
And as Gozlan speculated and Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported Wednesday, the second and third years in Diakite’s contract both have team options that will make Diakite a restricted free agent in 2023 if he sees out his entire contract.
Reported some additional details on Mamadi Diakite’s contract over on @TheAthletic app.
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 21, 2021
Diakite’s multi-year contract runs through the 2022-23 season and the next two years are team options. A bit of creative cap manipulation to squeeze an extra year out of the deal. pic.twitter.com/B1SeMV3eiZ
The alternative that was previously facing the Bucks to retain Diakite’s services would have had to tender his $1.4 million qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent this summer before undergoing talks of what kind of contract he would fetch. And as Nehm pointed out, signing players for minimum contracts can go no longer than two seasons.
Of course, Diakite still has continuously reaffirm the positive development trajectory that he has shown throughout his growing time in Milwaukee under this contract structure, even at the cost-controlled team options the Bucks have included in the deal.
This is largely no different to similar multi-year, non-guaranteed deals we see handed out around the league at this time of the year. And Diakite still has some security in his corner and a chance for greater earnings, especially after going undrafted in last year’s draft.