Milwaukee Bucks Blog – Page 43 – NBA Blog

Celtics interested in Carlos Delfino

With O.J. Mayo off the board (he’ll sign with the Dallas Mavericks) and Courtney Lee looking more like he’ll be out of the Boston Celtics’ price range, the Celtics must start to dig a little bit deeper into the free-agent pool of wing players.

Among those still available?

Milwaukee Bucks swing man Carlos Delfino, a player the Celtics have expressed some interest in according to league sources.

Delfino doesn’t have the same kind of sizzle as a Mayo or Lee signing might have, but he would definitely fill a need.

— Reported by CSNNE.com

Bucks re-sign forward Ersan Ilyasova

The Milwaukee Bucks have re-signed free-agent forward Ersan Ilyasova (6-10, 235) to a multi-year contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. We’ll post contract details here later today.

Ilyasova, 25, appeared in 60 games (41 starts) for the Bucks last season and averaged career-highs in points (13.0 ppg), rebounds (8.8 rpg; 18th in the NBA), assists (1.2 apg), field goal percentage (.492; 26th in the NBA), and three-point percentage (.455; 2nd in the NBA). He became the first player to average 12+ points and 8+ rebounds in fewer than 28 minutes per game since Arvydas Sabonis in 1995-96. Ilyasova erupted for 29 points and a career-best 25 rebounds in a 92-85 win at New Jersey (Feb. 19), becoming the third player in Bucks franchise history (along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Swen Nater) to record a 25/25 game. His 13 offensive rebounds in the game were the most by a Bucks player in over 25 years and just two shy of Nater’s franchise record. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week (Mar. 5-11) after averaging 25.0 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 63.8 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the arc during a 3-1 week.

A four-year NBA veteran, Ilyasova has appeared in 267 games (120 starts) over his NBA career while averaging 9.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists. He was drafted by Milwaukee with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft and played his first season with Tulsa in the NBA Development League. Following the 2006-07 campaign with the Bucks, he played two seasons with Regal FC Barcelona of the Spanish League.

After two seasons overseas, Ilyasova returned to the Bucks for the 2009-10 campaign. He averaged a then-career-high 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in helping Milwaukee to the playoffs where he posted 12.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in the seven-game series with Atlanta.

Born in Eskisehir, Turkey, Ilyasova began playing professional basketball at the age of 15. He has represented Turkey in national team competition including the 2010 FIBA World Championships hosted in his home country.

Bucks sign second round pick Doron Lamb

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed second round draft pick Doron Lamb to a multi-year contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Milwaukee selected Lamb with the 42nd overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Lamb (6-4, 210) joins the Bucks after completing his sophomore season with the National Champion Kentucky Wildcats. Over his two years at Kentucky, Lamb averaged 13.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 78 career games. He leaves Kentucky as the top three-point shooter in the program’s history, connecting on 47.5 percent (144-303) of his attempts from behind the arc. Lamb also joined the 1,000-point club in Kentucky’s win over Kansas in the 2012 National Championship game when he scored a team-high 22 points. He finished his career as a Wildcat with 1,018 points. Lamb was named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team, East Region All-Tournament Team and Second Team All-SEC as a sophomore.

Lamb will play for the Bucks in the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Milwaukee has a five-game schedule that begins Monday, July 16, at 9:30 p.m. (CT) against New Orleans.

Milwaukee Bucks sign rookie John Henson

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed first round draft pick John Henson to a multi-year contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Henson was the 14th overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.

All players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are guaranteed to receive a contract. So, this signing was expected and is standard.

Henson (6-11, 220) joins the Bucks after a three-year career at the University of North Carolina where he averaged 10.3 points and 8.1 rebounds in 109 career games. He leaves North Carolina as the Tar Heels’ all-time leader in blocks per game (2.56 – 12th in ACC history) and ranks second in total blocks (279 – 11th in ACC). He is a two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year (2011, 2012), as well as a First Team All-ACC performer as a junior when he averaged 13.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.

Henson will play for the Bucks in the 2012 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The Bucks have a five-game schedule, which begins Monday, July 16, at 9:30 p.m. (CT) against New Orleans.

Bucks likely keeping Ersan Ilyasova

The Milwaukee Bucks are close to a deal with free-agent forward Ersan Ilyasova, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Sunday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been completed. Multiple media reports earlier in the day

indicated the sides were close to a contract.

The 6-foot-10, 235-pound Ilyasova had a breakout season for Milwaukee in 2011-12, averaging 13 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He played in 60 games and made 41 starts last season.

The 25-year-old native of Turkey has played four seasons with the Bucks, with career averages of 9.7 points and six rebounds per game.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Rockets and Bucks trade Dalembert, Livingston, draft picks and more

The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired 10-year veteran center Samuel Dalembert, the 14th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, a future second round pick and cash considerations from Houston in exchange for forward Jon Brockman, forward Jon Leuer, guard Shaun Livingston and the 12th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

In 65 games (45 starts) with Houston last season, Dalembert (6-11, 250) averaged 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks (10th in NBA) in 22.2 minutes per game, while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 79.6 percent from the free throw line. In 727 career NBA games, Dalembert, 31, has career averages of 8.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots for the 76ers (2001-10), Kings (2010-11) and Rockets (2011-12). He has finished eight of his last 10 seasons ranked in the NBA’s top-10 in blocked shots.

A native of Haiti, Dalembert was the 26th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2001 NBA Draft. He played eight seasons with the 76ers before being traded to Sacramento prior to the 2010-11 season. He signed with the Rockets as an unrestricted free agent prior to last season. He was named the recipient of the 2009-10 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award by the Professional Basketball Writers Association in recognition of his outstanding charitable works and tireless relief efforts in his native Haiti.

Brockman, 25, finished his third NBA campaign and second with Milwaukee last season. In 150 career NBA games, he has averaged 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Originally drafted by Portland in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, Brockman was traded to Sacramento where he played his rookie season and averaged 2.8 points and 4.1 rebounds. He was traded to Milwaukee prior to the 2010-11 season for Darnell Jackson and a 2011 second round pick.

Leuer, 23, appeared in 46 games during his rookie season with the Bucks and averaged 4.7 points and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. He was the 40th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after a stellar four-year collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin. He left the school ranked 12th in career points (1,376) and was named a First Team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and an honorable mention AP All-American as a senior.

Livingston, 26, appeared in 58 games (27 starts) last season for Milwaukee and averaged 5.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He was the 4th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and has played 324 career games with six teams including the Clippers, Miami, Oklahoma City, Washington, Charlotte and Milwaukee over seven seasons. His career averages are 6.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Jared Sullinger familiar with feeling like underdog

Asked if he might be a draft sleeper, Jared Sullinger’s face broke into a sly smile. If the Ohio State forward was prepared for anything during the NBA draft combine, it was this question.

“I could be,” Sullinger said. “A lot of people have been sleeping on me, and it’s kind of fun. All my life I’ve kind of been known as the underdog.

“People said I wasn’t going to be able to play at the college level, and I did. Some people said I wasn’t going to be able to play at the high school level; some people said I was too overweight to play at the middle school level. I’m used to it.”

Doubts might recede now that Sullinger appears to measure up. He officially stood 6-foot-9 in shoes, and his wingspan of 7-1 1/4 and his standing reach of 8-11 were comparable to the centers in the combine pool. The latter number was just an inch shy of presumptive No. 1 pick Anthony Davis’ reach.

— Reported by Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune

Bucks guard Brandon Jennings eligible for contract extension this summer

Bucks guard Brandon Jennings is eligible for a contract extension this summer, as he enters the fourth and final year of his rookie-scale contract.

But the team’s leading scorer reiterated Friday that he’s not worried about his contract situation.

“I will let (agent) Bill Duffy handle that,” Jennings said from Los Angeles on Friday. “That’s what he does. I will leave it up to Bill Duffy and (Bucks general manager) John Hammond. It’s really not my department.”

Jennings recently returned from southern China where he participated in a league-sponsored event in Guangzhou. He and Toronto Raptors forward DeMar DeRozan served as coaches for celebrity teams and appeared along with former NBA stars Horace Grant and Gary Payton.

“They just go all out for the game of basketball,” Jennings said of the fans in China.

— Reported by Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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BMO Harris buys naming rights to Milwaukee Bucks arena

The Bradley Center has a new name – and, perhaps, a more specific expiration date.

BMO Harris Bank is buying naming rights to the arena, which will now be known as the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

It’s part of a six-year, $18 million partnership involving several companies, including Harley-Davidson, Kohl’s, Northwestern Mutual and Rockwell Automation.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Bucks forward Luc Mbah a Moute undergoes knee surgery

Milwaukee Bucks forward Luc Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230) underwent successful right knee surgery on Friday to address his patellar tendonitis, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. Mbah a Moute is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for training camp in October.

Mbah a Moute, 25, missed 19 games this season due to right knee soreness and tendonitis, including the last three of the regular season. In 43 games (22 starts) this season, the four-year NBA veteran averaged a career-high 7.7 points while shooting a career-best 51.0 percent from the field. He added 5.5 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game.