Brandin Podziemski just set a new benchmark, and Ryan Rollins should be paying close attention.
The Golden State Warriors guard agreed to a five-year, $110 million extension, and that number now hangs over the Milwaukee Bucks’ situation with Rollins. The Wisconsin native is headed for free agency next summer if he declines his player option, and if his rise keeps going, Podziemski’s deal may end up looking like the floor for what Rollins can ask for.
That’s because Rollins is already producing at a higher level.
Podziemski is coming off a career season in which he averaged 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Solid numbers, no doubt.
But Rollins topped that output with 17.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 boards, and 1.5 steals per game. If Golden State values Podziemski at $110 million, Milwaukee will have to decide what Rollins’ numbers and defensive impact are worth.
The Bucks don’t need to sort that out just yet. Rollins still has two years left on the three-year, $12 million contract he signed last summer. But the clock is ticking toward next summer, when he is expected to opt out and force the conversation.
If the sides were negotiating today, Rollins could point to the stat sheet and make a strong case for more than Podziemski got. In fact, the source of his leverage is simple: better production, better defense, and a trajectory that keeps pointing up.
There’s also a bigger wrinkle. Rollins is about to enter the most important stretch of his NBA career.
He broke out last season with a bigger role during Giannis Antetokounmpo’s extended absences. Now, with the Greek Freak gone, Milwaukee needs someone to fill the void.
Tyler Herro has been expected to be the first option, but the preseason has been quiet for him so far. That has opened the door for Rollins to look like the guy stepping forward.
If that carries into the regular season, his ceiling rises fast. He could blow past last year’s career highs, and if that happens, even a deal near Podziemski’s $110 million could feel light. Anything below that might push Milwaukee toward a sign-and-trade.
The Bucks, in other words, are going to have to pay up eventually.
In Other News...
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Is Giving The Bucks A Tough Early Decision
Jaime Jaquez Jr.s first few preseason outings in Milwaukee have not offered much comfort for a team trying to sort out its long-term picture. Through the first two games, the young wing has had trouble finding a rhythm, and the early returns have only complicated the Bucks evaluation of where he fits as they continue building out the roster.
The timing makes it especially tricky because Milwaukee has a decision looming on whether to lock in a rookie-scale extension before the October 19 deadline. With Jaquez still searching for cleaner production and a more convincing on-court case, the Bucks are left weighing patience against the risk of waiting too long to settle a key piece of business. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Rollins Is Already Forcing A Bucks Backcourt Debate
With the Bucks still reshaping themselves after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, the early preseason has already offered a small but telling glimpse into how the backcourt might sort itself out. Ryan Rollins has taken advantage of the opening, playing with a steadier feel and a clear willingness to organize the offense, the kind of early tone-setting that can matter on a roster still learning itself.
Tyler Herro, by contrast, is still searching for his rhythm, and the contrast has been hard to miss in the first exhibition games. Preseason is a thin reed to lean on, especially with so much of the season still ahead, but the Bucks at least have a real discussion forming around who should steer the backcourt first when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Brayden Burries Is Forcing A Bucks Rotation Question
Brayden Burries kept making the kind of late-game plays that can change a preseason conversation fast. In Milwaukees win over Oklahoma City, he supplied a burst of scoring in the closing minutes, added rebounds and chipped in on the defensive end, showing the sort of composure and two-way energy that coaches tend to notice when rotation spots are still unsettled.
For a Bucks team still sorting out its bench mix, Burries has at least created a real question. Taylor Jenkins has already pointed to defense as the area that could determine whether the rookie gets more court time, and that makes the next stretch of preseason work especially important. If Burries can keep bringing the same poise while proving he can stay in the right spots defensively, the case for a larger role gets a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]