Associated Press
John Henson will be a restricted free agent next summer if he and the Milwaukee Bucks do not reach an agreement on a contract extension by October 31.
Related: John Henson won’t be a restricted free agent.
According to the Journal Sentinel‘s Charles F. Gardner, the Bucks and Henson are on the brink of striking a multiyear agreement:
A source indicated serious talks between the Bucks and the fourth-year player are ongoing, with the goal of reaching an agreement on a multiyear contract extension. Henson is in the final year of his rookie-scale contract and is eligible to sign an extension this summer.
This keeps in theme with what ESPN.com’s Marc Stein heard just a couple days ago as well:
The Milwaukee Bucks are in advanced negotiations toward a contract extension with promising big man John Henson, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com the Bucks hope to soon complete a deal with Henson that would seal him as part of a growing and blossoming core that includes guards Jabari Parker and Michael Carter-Williams, versatile forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, newly signed center Greg Monroe and re-signed forward Khris Middleton.
One source close to the talks described a Sirius XM NBA Radio report Sunday night that terms have already been agreed to as “premature,” since there are still final negotiating hurdles to be cleared. But the source said the sides are indeed heading toward a deal that would further solidify that six-player base under coach Jason Kidd, who took the 41-41 Bucks to the playoffs last season in his first season in Milwaukee despite the club’s considerable youth.
Henson is one of the more promising youngsters on the Milwaukee’s roster. When head coach Jason Kidd runs Henson, Khris Middleton, Michael Carter-Williams and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the same lineup, the Bucks easily look like one of the longest teams ever.
Still, Henson’s playing time has been curtailed through his first three seasons. And Kidd actually cut his on-court exposure by more than eight minutes per game in 2014-15. It’s also unclear if Henson can coexist alongside offseason pickup Greg Monroe. Both players are best suited at center and don’t have the offensive range play power forward.
To that end, you have to wonder what Henson is worth inside Milwaukee, since he’ll either be coming off the bench or attempting to coexist beside someone who will displace him from his comfort zone at times. If the Bucks are hell-bent on keeping him, they’re smart to lock him up now, so that he doesn’t have a chance to drum up his value even further ahead of next summer’s salary-cap boon.
And Henson will drum up his value.
After all, he’s already worth a crap ton.
Limited playing time in mind, Henson is averaging 21.5 points, 14.6 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per 100 possessions since entering the league in 2012-13.
Two other players, minimum 3,500 minutes played, have matched those statistical touchstones over that same span, per Basketball-Reference.
Their names: Anthony Davis and Tim Duncan.
Good thing the Bucks are going to keep him.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go scream “Holy crap, John Henson!” at the top of my lungs for the next few days.
