Milwaukee’s new era after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. for Jaime Jaquez Jr. just got a whole lot more interesting, or maybe just complicated. The Bucks and Jaquez Jr. didn’t agree on a rookie scale extension before the league’s 5 p.m. CT deadline on October 19. That means the 25-year-old wing is playing out the 2026-27 season and then heading straight into restricted free agency next offseason.
The Big Deal That Didn’t Happen For Jaquez Jr.
This extension deadline is only for first-round picks, and Jaquez Jr., picked 18th overall in 2023, was certainly eligible. But out of that entire 2023 draft class, only seven guys actually locked in new deals with their teams: San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (No. 1), Charlotte’s Brandon Miller (No. 2), Houston’s Amen Thompson (No. 4), Detroit’s Ausar Thompson (No. 5), Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace (No. 10), Utah’s Keyonte George (No. 16), and Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski (No. 19). Jaquez Jr. was the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year *last season* with the Heat, so not getting this done is a pretty big swing. Remember, the Bucks brought him in from Miami back in July as part of that massive trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis Jr. This non-extension puts even more pressure on the Bucks’ “redefining the direction of the organization” project.
The Bucks’ Stance and Jaquez Jr.’s Focus
Bucks general manager Jon Horst has been pretty upfront about how these extension talks might go down. He told the Journal Sentinel in late September, “We targeted these guys for a reason. We value them significantly. And we’ll, in good faith and sincerely, engage in those conversations. But we may or may not do an extension, and that’s OK. Just because we don’t doesn’t mean we don’t value them. Those are opportunities for them and for us.” It’s a professional stance, but it also clearly signals that the Bucks aren’t rushing into long-term commitments as they figure things out. For his part, Jaquez Jr. sounded totally locked in before training camp, saying, “I’m here to work right now. My contract is the one that is going into next year, and that’s the only one I can really worry about.” You gotta love that focus, but it doesn’t change the business side of things.
What’s Next for Milwaukee and Their New Star?
So, what happens now that Jaquez Jr. is set to hit restricted free agency next offseason? The Bucks have a few paths they could take. They could still agree on a new contract with him then. Or, the Bucks could make a qualifying offer, which lets them match any offer sheet another team throws at Jaquez Jr. A sign-and-trade is another possibility if a deal can’t be reached directly. There’s also the chance Jaquez Jr. accepts the one-year qualifying offer to play it out again, or the Bucks could simply choose not to offer the QO at all, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The ball is in Milwaukee’s court to a degree, but the clock is definitely ticking. It’s on Jaquez Jr. to show out this season, and on the Bucks to figure out their rebuild strategy without the financial certainty an extension would have provided. Get ready, Bucks fans, it’s gonna be a wild one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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