Bucks officially re-sign Khris Middleton, ink Greg Monroe

The Milwaukee Bucks locked down two core pieces for the future on Thursday in Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe.

The Bucks added Monroe via free agency, and the post presence officially signed with Milwaukee after the league's free-agent moratorium was lifted. Terms of his deal were not released, but it's believed Monroe signed a three-year, $53-million deal with a player option for the third season.

"The entire Bucks organization is thrilled to welcome Greg to Milwaukee," general manager John Hammond said in a press release. "Greg will be a fantastic complement to the talented young roster we're assembling. The fact that he chose Milwaukee speaks volumes about the culture we're developing and the bright future we envision for the Bucks."

Middleton will reportedly earn $70 million over the next five seasons.

"Khris played a huge role in our turnaround last season and has become a leader on our young team," Hammond said in a separate release. "Keeping Khris in a Bucks uniform was a huge priority for us this offseason, and we’re thrilled that he’ll continue to grow with our young core as we work towards building a championship-caliber team in Wisconsin."

Monroe gives the Bucks a tremendous scorer and passer in the post, while Middleton is an elite 3-and-D player. Along with the continued development of top prospects Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, the Bucks project as a team on the rise in the East.