The drafting of John Henson created a logjam. The re-signing of free agent Ersan Ilyasova does everything short of affixing a “Fours for Sale†sign to the practice facility. There is little reason to think Bucks general manager John Hammond is done with his annual ritual of moving pieces around the chessboard.
Ilyasova agreed to a five-year, $45 million deal to remain in Milwaukee late Sunday and will sign it once the NBA-wide moratorium ends Wednesday. The 25-year-old Turkish power forward averaged 13 points and nine rebounds in 60 games last season. He had drawn interest from the Nets, Raptors and some European teams in addition to the Bucks.
Hammond identified keeping Ilyasova as a top offseason priority, and it’s easy to understand why. Ilyasova has improved steadily since his rookie season, especially after he returned to Milwaukee in 2009. He has evolved considerably from the skinny teenager who knew no English to the player who was tied for second in the league in three-point percentage (45.5%) and nearly won the Most Improved Player award this past season.
Ilyasova’s game has diversified to include some post moves; he no longer camps out beyond the arc. His confidence is at the level where he can now get past bad plays, an essential trait of a successful pro. He’s not a star defender, a la Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, but he’s not exactly a liability. His rebounding ability turns television analyst Jon McGlocklin into a teenage girl at a Justin Bieber concert.
You might say that Ilyasova’s numbers aren’t jaw-dropping, but he wasn’t a full-time starter until the second half of last season. Most teams would take 13 and 9 from a pro power forward, particularly one just about to enter the prime of his career. Remember, Hammond is under pressure to make the playoffs this season, and stability is the best pathway to the postseason. The GM used his cap space wisely- the Bucks can still use their full $5 million mid-level exception on a shooter if they so desire.
Give Ilyasova due credit for his decision as well. He always seemed content here, now he backs it up by staying. In a sporting era where loyalty is a foreign concept on both sides, that’s no small thing. Call me naïve, but Ilyasova exhibits no signs of being the stereotypical player who shines in a contract year, gets paid and promptly checks out. He’s worked too hard to make the league to turn into a diva now.
The Bucks’ roster won’t allow him to. Drew Gooden is a highly-paid veteran who plays the same position, and there are many ways Hammond and coach Scott Skiles could deploy their personnel. Gooden’s contract makes him hard to move, but it seems unlikely he’d come off the bench. Ekpe Udoh could be attractive to some teams, but the Bucks insisted on his inclusion in the Bogut trade, so he’s likely staying. Henson has been praised too much for anyone to believe he’s a trade chip.
Could Mbah a Moute be dealt? Perhaps, but Hammond would have to take on matching salary to do it, plus the thought here is that Skiles values his defensive versatility too much. Larry Sanders now projects as the backup center behind Samuel Dalembert.
My personal favorite scenario is to slide the 6-foot-10 Ilyasova to the small forward, and start Gooden and Dalembert alongside to give the Bucks an extremely tall frontline that can play fast, stretch the floor and block shots.
I’m probably dreaming, and it would be just like “Trader John†to flip an excess of talent at one position to upgrade another. Whatever other roster tweaks are made between now and the start of training camp, we know that the Bucks often will want to play lightning-fast basketball this season.
Thankfully, “Turkish Thunder†will be here to help the cause.
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