Although Ervin Johnson had another year before his contract expired, the Milwaukee Bucks thought it was important to take care of their captain now.

Johnson and the Bucks agreed Tuesday to a two-year extension worth about $9.1 million that will keep the 34-year-old center in a Milwaukee uniform through the 2004-'05 season.

"Ervin is a big part of our team," Bucks general manager Ernie Grunfeld said. "He's a defensive presence for us and the kind of unselfish leader that every team wishes they had. This was our way of expressing our appreciation to him."

The extension will likely bind Johnson to the Bucks for the rest of his career.

"That's the way I'm looking at it," Johnson said. "For me and my family, it's a blessing in disguise. I could have waited until I was a free agent and possibly got more money. But for me and my family, I thought this was the best.