NBA Rumors: Milwaukee Bucks using Larry Sanders as trade bait for a veteran big
The Milwaukee Bucks went from a playoff team in 2013 to the worst team in basketball in 2014, posting a record of 15-67.
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What must have been quite a difficult season for the Bucks may have all paid off on Thursday night. The Bucks used the second-overall selection of the 2014 NBA Draft to select former Duke Blue Devils’ forward Jabari Parker. Parker is from nearby Chicago and has reportedly been coveted by the Bucks for some time.
Now, the Bucks will work on putting pieces around Parker.
According to Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times, the Bucks are looking to acquire a veteran big man and are using Larry Sanders as trade bait.
Hearing Bucks looking to acquire veteran big man. Sanders would presumably be part of the deal.
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) June 26, 2014
Sanders had a fantastic 2012-2013 season and the Bucks were excited about his future in Milwaukee, signing Sanders to a four-year, $44 million deal. However, Sanders ran into trouble with the law in the offseason, was injured and fell out of favor in head coach Larry Drew’s rotation. Because of all that, the Bucks have reportedly been shopping Sanders. Getting a veteran big onto a team that will likely be led by a rookie in Parker and second-year player in Giannis Antetokounmpo, both wings, could do wonders for a young team.
Sanders played in just 23 games last season because of injuries and off of the court issues. He averaged 7.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 25.4 minutes per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 47.3% from the free throw line.