Victor Oladipo is taking a major pay cut as part of his comeback attempt.
On Sunday, the Wisconsin Herd, the G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, announced it acquired the two-time All-Star from the Santa Cruz Warriors for a 2027 first-round pick in the G League Draft.
Oladipo, 33, was playing in the Chinese Basketball Association before entering the G League player pool over the weekend. Santa Cruz had waiver priority over Wisconsin and claimed Oladipo before trading him to the Herd.
He did not play anywhere the past two seasons and worked for ESPN as an analyst in 2024.
Over the years, a handful of big-name players have tried to revive their NBA prospects in the G League, including Isaiah Thomas, Baron Davis, Nate Robinson, and Brandon Jennings. Oladipo is among the highest earners to ever enter the NBA’s developmental league.
In 2013, the Orlando Magic selected Oladipo with the No. 2 overall pick out of Indiana. A 10-year veteran, Oladipo averaged 16.9 points per game on 44% shooting while playing for five teams, and has battled injuries throughout his career.
Oladipo made roughly $125 million during his career according to Spotrac; the G League pays a maximum salary of $45,000 per season. Oladipo last played in the NBA during the 2022–23 season for the Heat, which ended when he tore his left patellar tendon in the first-round of the playoffs against the Bucks.
While injured, Miami traded Oladipo to the Thunder in July 2023. He was then dealt to the Rockets and later the Grizzlies, but was waived before ever playing for Memphis. Oladipo was traded in the second year of a two-year, $18.2 million deal with Miami, which paid him $8.75 million in the first year and $9.4 million in the second. In the final year he played, Oladipo was paid roughly $106,707.32 per game, more than twice what he will make this season.
Aside from Davis, who played six games for the Delaware 87ers in 2016, Oladipo is one of the few centimillionaires to play in the G League. Davis made $147 million in his NBA career, according to Spotrac, while playing for six teams in 13 seasons. Davis’ comeback came four years after his last NBA game at age 36 and ultimately proved unsuccessful.
Oladipo joins a Bucks organization that is desperate to stay in contention with franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo. If Oladipo earns a call-up to Milwaukee, he would be a cheap addition to a core that includes Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Ryan Rollins in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
