The Best of the Day: December 15th, 2020

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– Small-market teams can keep stars if they surround them with the right talent

Bucks fans can hold off their fears of Giannis leaving for the next few seasons, as this deal proves that small-market franchises can keep their stars. Because they don’t have the luxury of being a free agent destination, small-market teams must build through the draft and make careful trades to surround their stars with solid supporting casts. The Bucks laid the blueprint for this, as their offseason moves prior to this extension upgraded the talent around Giannis, which likely played a major part in him staying with Milwaukee.

– Bucks should be considered the clear favorite in the East this year

While Brooklyn has all the hype entering the season and Miami is looking to repeat as East champs, Milwaukee has been the clear-cut best team in the East the last two regular seasons, but have faltered in the postseason. Looking back at each of their series losses reveals an early-series nail-biter that didn’t go in their direction, changing their entire season. Minor improvements should be enough to get the Bucks over the hump, and the addition of Jrue Holiday should make a major positive impact. With this Giannis free agency distraction no longer hanging over their head, this could be the year the Bucks finally get over the hump. 

– Bucks have 3 more years to win a title before Giannis trade talks heat back up

While this extension solidifies the Bucks as contenders in the near future, if they fail to win a title in the next three years, more pressure will be on the Greek Freak to be crowned a champion, and he’ll inevitably start to wonder if its possible to do so in Wisconsin. That gives the Bucks about three years to win their first championship in 50 years, or witness their best player seek a trade demand like plenty of stars before him (Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, and now James Harden).

– Toronto, Dallas, and Miami will have to move on to ‘Plan B’ with Giannis no longer available 

The Raptors, Heat, and Mavericks based most of their offseason moves on the chance that they could meet with Giannis in 2021 when he would have been a free agent and hopefully convince him to sign with their teams. All three teams refused to sign free agents to contracts longer than one season, which cost Toronto Serge Ibaka, Miami Jae Crowder, and Dallas Seth Curry and Delon Wright. Now, in the aftermath of Giannis signing his historical deal to stay in Milwaukee, each team must clear their boards and come up with a ‘Plan B’ to build championship rosters around their core rosters.

– What could have been for the 2021 Free Agent class 

Just a month ago, the 2021 free agent class was shaping up to be historically great with huge names set to hit the market. However, with his extension, Giannis is now just the latest player, following the likes of LeBron James and Paul George, and restricted-free-agents-to-be Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, Donovan Mitchell, and De’Aaron Fox to stay with their teams. Unless Kawhi Leonard unexpectedly exercises his opt-out clause and leaves LA, next years’ free agent class will be similar to the below-average 2020 class, as the top upcoming free agents are now Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Giannis’ new teammate Jrue Holiday.

Related: NBA 2020s