MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 09: AJ Green #20 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots a jump shot during preseason game against the Detroit Pistons at Fiserv Forum on October 09, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
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The Milwaukee Bucks have inked rising guard AJ Green to a four-year, $45 million contract extension that kicks in for the 2026-27 NBA season.
The extension was months in the making for the former undrafted free agent. The Northern Iowa product went undrafted in 2022, spent his first NBA season on a two-way deal, and clawed his way into the rotation through a mix of persistence, elite shooting, and quiet confidence.
After that rookie season, the Bucks handed him a three-year deal worth $6.3 million — though the last two years were non-guaranteed. Two years later, Green’s value has skyrocketed. He’s now set to make over $10 million annually beginning in 2026, per Spotrac’s projected breakdown:
- 2026-27: $10.04M
- 2027-28: $10.85M
- 2028-29: $11.65M
- 2029-30: $12.46M
That’s a steep climb for a guy who averaged just 4.5 points per game through his first two seasons. But look deeper, and you can see why Milwaukee was eager to lock him up early.
Last year, Green became something close to indispensable.
In 22.7 minutes per night, he averaged 7.4 points and shot 42.7 percent from three on five attempts per game — the kind of efficiency that forces defenses to tilt ever so slightly, opening driving lanes for Giannis Antetokounmpo and others.
And then came the postseason — where Green didn’t just hold his own, he popped.
In 27 minutes per game, he poured in 11 points a night while hitting a ridiculous 51.4 percent of his threes.
That performance likely cemented his place in the starting lineup. Through the preseason, Green looked every bit the part, starting all five games and finding a comfortable two-man rhythm with Gary Trent Jr. on the wing. Together, they give Milwaukee a modern, shoot-first perimeter pairing that can thrive off the chaos Giannis creates.
Green’s defining trait is his release — lightning quick, high, and utterly unbothered by contests. It’s the kind of jumper that warps defenses before the ball even hits his hands. He doesn’t hesitate, and he shouldn’t. The Bucks want him to fire away, to stretch the floor as far as his confidence will let him.
That boldness isn’t just stylistic flair — it’s structural necessity. The Bucks have a massive playmaking question looming over their season. Outside of Antetokounmpo, there isn’t a true table-setter in the rotation.
That’s why Green’s growing comfort as a connective passer matters. During the preseason, he flashed the ability to manipulate help defenders with his shooting gravity, skipping cross-court passes to open shooters. It’s not point god stuff, but it’s the kind of quick processing Milwaukee desperately needs to keep the ball humming.
Defensively, Green is more grinder than glider. He’s not an above-the-rim athlete — still no dunks in his career, somehow — but he stays attached, moves his feet, and competes. He fouls too often when trying to contain drives, but his effort level is real, and he rarely loses focus. You can win playoff minutes with players like that.
Long-term, this contract is clean business.
If Milwaukee ever has to pivot into a new era, Green’s deal — roughly six percent of the cap — is exactly the kind of value contract contenders will call about. A 6’4” shooter who hits 40 percent of his threes and competes defensively? That’s NBA gold.
For now, though, this deal is about stability. It keeps one of the league’s best young shooters locked in through his age-30 season, right through his prime.
Green isn’t just another role player cashing in. He’s the rare story of a player who found the perfect team, and a team that found the perfect role for him. The Bucks need shooting and unselfishness; Green needs a franchise that believes in him.