Giannis Praised by NBA Exec for Staying 'Loyal' to Bucks with Supermax Contract

As it has become more difficult for small-market teams to retain superstar players in the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo is being praised for his decision to commit to the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, one executive for a Western Conference team praised Antetokounmpo for being "loyal" to the Bucks.

"It's a huge deal for Milwaukee to keep a star in a small market," the executive said. "It's nice to see kids still to this day stay loyal to their team as all the stars leave to line up with other stars, which puts an imbalance in our league. It's huge for the league and Milwaukee."

Antetokounmpo announced Tuesday he was signing a five-year extension with the Bucks:

Alex Saratsis, Antetokounmpo's agent, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the reigning two-time NBA MVP's deal is for $228 million over five years with an opt-out after the fourth season. 

The signing put an end to any potential drama for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in their quest to win a championship this season. There would have been endless questions and speculation about the 26-year-old's future throughout the 2020-21 campaign if he decided to play out his deal and become a free agent next summer. 

Small-market clubs have often struggled to retain the best players in the NBA. LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers after the 2009-10 season, despite the team posting back-to-back years with at least 60 wins. He did return to the franchise four years later, led them to a title in 2015-16 but left again to join the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Antetokounmpo's situation wasn't entirely different from James the first time he left Cleveland. The Bucks have had the NBA's best regular-season record in each of the past two seasons, but they haven't been able to reach the Finals either time. 

The Bucks took steps to upgrade their roster this offseason, most notably with the acquisition of Jrue Holiday. Antetokounmpo appears to be happy with what they've done, as he will give them at least four more years to try and get over the playoff hump.