Ryan Rollins returns to Bucks on $12 million deal
Ryan Rollins has agreed to a three-year, $12 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, his agents told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Sunday. The 23-year-old guard’s new contract includes a player option for the third year.
Several teams were eyeing Rollins before he decided to stick with Milwaukee. The Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, and Los Angeles Lakers all showed interest in the young guard.
The Bucks had previously withdrawn their qualifying offer to Rollins to free up cap space, but they still held his Early Bird Rights, allowing them to bring him back.
Rollins has had quite a journey to get to this point.
Originally picked 44th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2022 draft after playing at the University of Toledo, he was quickly traded to the Golden State Warriors.
His NBA career got off to a rocky start when a right foot injury kept him out of Summer League action after signing his rookie deal with Golden State.
Things didn’t get easier from there. After just 12 bench appearances in his rookie year, Rollins needed season-ending surgery to fix a Jones fracture in his right foot.
Golden State then shipped him to Washington in the Chris Paul trade during the 2023 offseason, but the Wizards waived him in January 2024.
That’s when Milwaukee stepped in, signing him to a two-way contract in February.
The Bucks saw something special in the 6-foot-4 guard. He spent most of last season on that two-way deal before getting a standard contract in March. Instead of taking a multi-year offer then, Rollins bet on himself with a rest-of-season deal.
That gamble has really paid off.
Last season with Milwaukee, Rollins put up the best numbers of his young career. He averaged 6.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 14.6 minutes per game while shooting an impressive 48.6% from the field and 40.8% from three-point range.
He showed what he could really do when given the opportunity to start.
When star point guard Damian Lillard was sidelined with injuries, Rollins stepped up big time. In 19 starts, he averaged 10.2 points while shooting a red-hot 45.2% from beyond the arc.
His best game came on April 1 against Phoenix, when he exploded for a career-high 23 points, hitting 8 of 10 shots and 5 of 7 three-pointers in a 133-123 Bucks victory.
The Bucks have been busy reshaping their roster this offseason. They’ve moved on from longtime center Brook Lopez and surprisingly traded away Lillard, while adding center Myles Turner on a four-year contract.
Milwaukee is also bringing back several key pieces, including Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr.
With Rollins now secured for the next three years, the Bucks are clearly investing in his potential as part of their retooled roster.
