The Milwaukee Bucks are entering the 2013 season with a brand new look after hiring a new coach in Larry Drew and losing Monta Ellis to the Dallas Mavericks and with the possibility of a Brandon Jennings trade still on the horizon, the team waived Mexican forward Gustavo Ayon.
The Bucks were rumored to be in talks with the Detroit Pistons during the summer league for Brandon Knight or even Greg Monroe after Joe Dumars said that Andre Drummond was untouchable, but nothing materialized. According to Bleacher Report, the Bucks should consider the deal and so should the Pistons, as the move could help both sides deal with a situation that they are in after Jennings said no to a four-year, $40 million deal.
Jennings wants at least $10 million per season after averaging 17 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game at just 23-years-old and while the team has balked, there is still a chance for a deal. Nikola Pekovic, Gerald Henderson and Jennings are the top restricted free agents left and while it appears that those two players are going to stick with their teams, the Bucks seem willing to trade Jennings if they can't come to an agreement. The 2009 first round pick has been solid for the Bucks since being drafted and after the team tried to sign Jeff Teague, it shows that they were ready to move on and that could mean a deal for Knight to keep it with a point guard.
The Hawks decided to match Teague's offer and with names like Mo Williams and Gary Neal left on the market, a trade might be the only other option for the Bucks with Jennings. The could try and keep him on a one-year deal and if he agrees the two sides could part next year or continue hammering out an extension, but that seems unlikely now. Knight is athletic and can play multiple positions and the teams likely can get the money to match up depending on what Jennings asks for now.
Andre Drummond or Greg Monroe will be the names that are involved and while Dumars said that Drummond was untouchable, the right deal could sway him, as the Pistons signed Josh Smith and feel like they are ready to turn things around this season. Jennings will need to improve from three going forward, as he is a 35.4 percent three-point shooter, but that won't stop a deal and that could be something he will work on later down the line.
The team has made a number of moves this offseason, including signing Carlos Delfino, acquired Luke Ridnour and now they have Zaza Pachulia on a three-year deal to join Larry Sanders, giving Drew some depth on the bench. The team decided to release Ayon, who was the only player from Mexico in the NBA, as he was injured in summer league play after suffering a groin injury and he did not play the last two games after starting the first three.
The team had a Friday deadline for his $1.5 million salary to be guaranteed and they decided to release him after the Vegas summer setback. The forward was acquired after playing with New Orleans and the Magic and the 28-year-old averaged 4.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 12 games for the Bucks. Ayon came over in the JJ Redick deal from the Orlando Magic for forward Tobias Harris and guards Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih and now Redick is also gone, as he was traded to the Clippers in a three-team deal this offseason. The Bucks made the playoffs and got swept by the Heat last season in four games.