John Henson and the Bucks were reportedly close on a contract extension in July.
That was still the case in the fall, he insisted.
Now, it’s finally getting done.
Marc Stein of ESPN:
The @bucks and forward John Henson have come to terms on a four-year extension in the $45 million range, according to ESPN sources
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 2, 2015
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Yahoo Sources: Milwaukee's John Henson has agreed to a four-year, $44M extension that could be worth $48M with incentives.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 2, 2015
The Bucks are getting nice value on Henson, who is a superb and versatile defender. He protects the rim and covers well on the perimeter for his size. That versatility is particularly important in Jason Kidd’s scheme. Henson is also an efficient offensive player who plays within his limitations.
Milwaukee had a bit of leverage on Henson after signing Greg Monroe. Though Monroe is more offensively focused and there’s a role for both on this team, Monroe will probably limit Henson’s ability to showcase himself. That’d make it less likely Henson would have drawn a big offer in 2016 free agency if he’d rejected an extension
Instead, Henson locks in life-changing money. I think he would’ve gotten more in the open market – I project his value over the next four years to be around $60 million – but that carries risk.
This seems like a good deal for both sides. The Bucks lose some 2016 cap space, as an unextended Henson’s cap hold would have been just $7,358,052. But they gain savings over the life of the contract. And Henson gets his guaranteed money.