John Henson: John Henson, Bucks agree to four-year deal

John Henson’s statistics from his first three seasons in the National Basketball Association don’t really jump off the page.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com is reporting the Bucks and Henson have come to terms on a four-year extension for around $45 million that will begin in the 2016-17 season.

Those terms appear to be a four year contract worth $44 million dollars, which also include a signing bonus and other incentives that could be worth up to $48 million. For the Bucks, it is a calculated hedge on the restricted free-agent market next summer – which could have included Henson – that could be a boon for big men. Bucks general manager John Hammond called Henson a core player this summer, so this contract definitely solidifies that statement.

Henson joins Antetokounmpo, Michael Carter-Williams, Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker as youngsters supplemented by veterans like Greg Monroe, Jerryd Bayless and Greivis Vasquez on a team expected to make another playoff run in the Eastern Conference. He’s played 200 games so far in his three seasons and started just 43 of them for the Bucks, averaging 19.6 minutes for his career. He averaged a seemingly modest 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game for the Bucks last season, but also averaged 2.0 blocks per game to rank sixth in the league in that category despite the limited playing time.

Henson was the 14th overall pick in the 2012 National Basketball Association draft out of North Carolina.