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Last season, very few class-of-2004 draftees got their early extension, and only one received a maximum deal (Dwight Howard). You would figure we have exactly two max players this summer (Chris Paul and Deron Williams -- absolute no-brainers). But apparently, Andrew Bogut and/or his friends in the Australian media think the Buck will join the club. From the Sydney Morning Herald's Jamie Pandaram, via BrewHoop:

What would you do with $80 million? Some of Australia's financially stricken basketballers could give tips to NBA compatriot Andrew Bogut, who is set to receive that figure in just over four weeks as part of a contract extension. [...] The deal Bogut is negotiating is worth an estimated $13.3 million a season over six years with his club, the Milwaukee Bucks, is expected to be formally announced on July 1.

Pandaram offers no sourcing; to be fair, his story mostly centers on how Bogut's good fortune comes at a moment in which Australia's continental basketball league faces financial ruin. BrewHoop notes no contract can be signed until July 9 (deals are negotiated and leaked to the media during the one-week July moratorium, but not made official).

Honestly, based on circumstantial evidence but no inside information, Bogut grabbing an $80 million contract seems unlikely. Bogey's per-minute numbers this year were not as good as Emeka Okafor's 2006-07 numbers ... and many felt the 5-year, $60 million contract Charlotte offered Okafor (ultimately rejected) was too rich. Add in that Milwaukee GM John Hammond learned under Joe Dumars, who never hands out the max, and the $60-65 million range looks far more likely for Bogut.

(Besides Bogut, the two most interesting class-of-2005 test cases for me this summer: Andrew Bynum and Danny Granger. We'll be talking more about them in the coming weeks.)