John Henson signs 4-year, $44 million extension with Bucks, per report

Big man John Henson and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract extension that could become as much as $48 million if Henson hits certain incentives, reports Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. The early extension goes into effect starting in 2016-17 and will run through the 2019-20 season.

Henson, the No. 14-overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, figures to be one of Milwaukee's top big men after battling for playing time during his first three seasons. The departures of Ersan Ilyasova, Larry Sanders and Zaza Pachulia have opened up minutes in the Bucks' frontcourt. Henson, Jabari Parker and new addition Greg Monroe will likely get first crack at filling them.

It's also about time that Henson gets a chance at steady playing time after displaying tons of potential in smaller roles. Over the last three seasons, Henson has averaged 15 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per 36 minutes. The only four players who blocked more shots per game than Henson last season were Anthony Davis, Serge Ibaka, Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan. Henson, meanwhile, played just 18 minutes per game.

Henson is already one of the game's premier shot-blockers, and he's been improving his offensive efficiency, too. Over his first three seasons, he raised his shooting percentage from 48 percent to 54 percent to a career-high 57 percent last season. Even if his efficiency takes a dip while seeing increased usage, Henson's already been a hugely productive player early in his career.

That all makes it easy to see why the Bucks would want to keep Henson around long-term, especially as they embrace a strong defensive identity under coach Jason Kidd. Henson is the kind of shot-blocking rim protector you need to anchor a team on that end of the floor. Combined with Monroe, a gifted offensive player who struggles in rim protection, and Parker, who could be Rookie of the Year, the Bucks have the makings of a pretty stellar frontcourt.

Henson may not have the muscle to push around with the league's strongest big men or the offensive ability to be a 20-10 guy, but he's figured out how to use his length to make up for a lot of shortcomings. Now that the Bucks have committed to him, they're hoping he can continue expanding his game in a larger role.