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NBA fines Bucks $50,000 for Giannis Antetokounmpo contract comment

Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece puts up a shot between Ondrej Balvin, left, and Patrik Auda of Czech Republic during their second round game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Shenzhen in southern China’s Guangdong province, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. (Yang Lei / Xinhua via AP)
Associated Press

NEW YORK – The NBA fined the Milwaukee Bucks $50,000 on Tuesday over a comment general manager Jon Horst made about the team’s plans to offer league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo a “supermax” extension.

The league says Horst violated league rules “governing the timing of discussions regarding future player contracts and permissible commitments to players.” The Bucks cannot publicly commit to offering anyone a supermax until the summer following that player’s seventh season.

Antetokounmpo is entering his seventh season. He would be eligible to sign a record five-year extension worth nearly $250 million in July 2020, with that new deal beginning in the 2021-22 season.

Horst was asked at a televised event about the status of Antetokounmpo’s long-term contract. He replied by saying “right now, you can’t talk and negotiate anything. Giannis, basically, a year from now, will be eligible for a supermax extension. At that time, of course, he’ll be offered a supermax extension.”