What to know about the Milwaukee Bucks players’ contracts, salary cap
The Milwaukee Bucks once again enter the summer earlier than they’d like following a first-round playoff upset loss to the Indiana Pacers. Last year the Bucks swung big by trading Jrue Holiday, their 2029 first-round pick, 2028 and 2030 first-round pick swap rights to Portland (and Grayson Allen to Phoenix) for Damian Lillard. That means the Trail Blazers have the right to switch first-round pick position with the Bucks if it results in a higher selection. But this offseason the ability of the team to drastically change the roster is hampered by the collective bargaining agreement.
Let’s take a look at who is under contract, who is a free agent and their financial flexibility:
Bucks salary cap space
Players under contract for 2024-25: 10
Salary committed (including player incentives): $182 million.
Projected salary cap space: None.
Projected luxury tax space: None.
Projected luxury tax “first apron” space: None.
Projected luxury tax “second apron” space: $1.9 million** **accounts for not-likely to be earned player incentives.
Need to know: The Bucks must have a minimum of 14 guaranteed contracts on the roster so they will have to sign at least four more players, which will push the team over the second “apron.”
The second apron and penalties were instituted in the latest collective bargaining agreement, and they simultaneously allow teams to exceed the salary cap and the luxury tax to retain their own players, but also penalize teams for being high spenders with roster building restrictions. The aprons are calculated with an accounting formula, and the thresholds rise accordingly with the salary cap.
Bucks player contracts
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Signed through the 2027-28 season, which includes a player option, Antetokounmpo will make $48.8 million.
Age at start of season: 29
Need to know: Antetokounmpo declined his 2025-26 player option and signed a three-year extension for $175.9 million at the start of last season. Was the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game while shooting 60% from the field.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo will be an unrestricted free agent.
Age at start of season: 32
Need to know: Antetokounmpo had previously signed multi-year deals with the Bucks before returning on a one-year contract last year. Played in 34 regular-season games, his fewest since 2019-20.
Malik Beasley
Beasley will be an unrestricted free agent.
Age at start of season: 27
Need to know: Started a career-high 77 games and shot a career-best 41.3% from behind the three-point line. Made the second-most three-pointers in a single season in Bucks history (224) and participated in the three-point contest at all-star weekend. Was moved to a reserve role at the end of the regular season and for the playoffs. Played on four teams in the last three seasons.
MarJon Beauchamp
Beauchamp’s team option was exercised and he will make $2.7 million next season. The team has until Oct. 31 to pick up his $4.8 million option for 2025-26.
Age at start of season: 23
Need to know: Played in 48 games and shot 40% from behind the three-point line, but saw action in just 20 of the Bucks’ final 49 contests due to injury or coach’s decision.
Pat Beverley
Beverley will be an unrestricted free agent.
Age at start of season: 36
Need to know: Acquired at the trade deadline from Philadelphia for Cameron Payne and a second-round draft pick, Beverley shot 36.1% from behind the three-point line in 26 games for the Bucks – his best since 2020-21. Finished the year as a starter. Played on six teams in the last four seasons.
Despite suffering a wrist injury near the end of the season, Beverley said in Indianapolis he is healthy and wants to play up to five more seasons.
Pat Connaughton
Connaughton will make $9.4 million next season and has a player option of the same amount for 2025-26.
Age at start of season: 31
Need to know: Improved slightly in his three-point shooting at 34.5% while playing the second-most games of his career (76) but in the fewest minutes per game (22.1) since 2019-20. Doc Rivers used him in more of a playmaking role in the second half of the season.
Jae Crowder
Crowder will be an unrestricted free agent.
Age at start of season: 34
Need to know: Started 25 games and played in 50 after missing 31 following adductor surgery. Shot 34.9% from behind the three-point line.
Danilo Gallinari
Gallinari will be an unrestricted free agent.
Age at start of season: 36
Need to know: Acquired during the all-star break as a free agent, the forward appeared in 17 games with the Bucks and shot 17.6% from behind the three-point line and 37.8% overall.
AJ Green
Signed through 2025-26, Green will make $2.1 million next season, though it is not a guaranteed contract. The team must decide by July 8 to fully guarantee his salary.
Age at start of season: 25
Need to know: Played a career-high 56 games and shot 40.8% from behind the three-point line. Averaged nearly 15 minutes per game under Doc Rivers before a left ankle sprain ended his season early.
Andre Jackson Jr.
Signed through 2026-27, Jackson will make $1.9 million next season, but will not be fully guaranteed until Jan. 10, 2025.
Age at start of season: 22
Need to know: Appeared in 57 games as a rookie, and shot 37% from behind the three-point line. His playing time was sporadic under coaches Adrian Griffin and Rivers, but showed flashes of potential as a defender.
Damian Lillard
Signed through 2026-27, which includes a player option, Lillard will make $48.8 million next season.
Age at start of season: 34
Need to know: An all-star in his first season with the Bucks, Lillard took home the all-star game MVP and three-point shooting contest title. He played in 73 games, his most since 2018-19. He shot 35.4% from behind the three-point line, his lowest percentage in a full season since 2014-15. He averaged 24.3 points and 7.0 assists per game, his lowest totals in a full season since 2018-19.
Chris Livingston
Signed through 2026-27, which includes a team option. Livingston will make $1.9 million in guaranteed salary next season.
Age at start of season: 20
Need to know: Appeared in just 21 games and 90 minutes for the Bucks in a developmental year.
Brook Lopez
Lopez is entering the final year of his contract, which will pay him $23 million.
Age at start of season: 36
Need to know: Lopez played in 79 games, his most since 2018-19. He shot 48.5% from the field overall, his lowest in a full season since 2019-20. He made 36.6% of his three-pointers. He averaged 2.4 blocks per game.
Khris Middleton
Signed through 2025-26, which includes a player option, Middleton will make a base salary of $31 million next year. He can make $3 million more in incentives.
Age at start of season: 33
Need to know: Injuries limited him to 55 games, and he shot 38.1% from behind the three-point line in averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. When he was cleared to play 30 minutes per game, he shot 50.3% overall and 39.3% from behind the three-point line in averaging 16.4 points and 5.9 assists.
Bobby Portis
Signed through the 2025-26 season, which includes a player option, Portis will make $12.6 million next year. He has a 15% trade kicker.
Age at start of season: 29
Need to know: Played in all 82 games for the first time in his career and shot 50.8% from the field and 40.7% from behind the three-point line – his best marks since the 2020-21 championship season. Averaged 15.5 points and 8.3 rebound after Rivers took over as head coach.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about the Milwaukee Bucks players’ contracts, salary cap
