Milwaukee Bucks ‘closing in’ on a deal with Jerryd Bayless
Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks were among the busiest teams in the offseason.
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The Bucks started the offseason by parting ways with guard Monta Ellis. He was part of the trade that sent center Andrew Bogut, a former number one overall pick of the Bucks, to the Golden State Warriors. Ellis signed with the Dallas Mavericks. They dealt free agent guard J.J. Redick to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team deal that netted the Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe. The Bucks completed a sign-and-trade to send point guard Brandon Jennings to the Detroit Pistons and landed point guard Brandon Knight in return. They also re-signed big man Larry Sanders and drafted swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This year, they have played it quiet, simply using the second-overall pick on former Duke Blue Devils’ forward Jabari Parker. They did, however, want to add a backup point guard and as of Tuesday night, they were nearing a deal for one.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Bucks are “closing in on a deal with Boston Celtics’ free agent guard Jerryd Bayless.
ESPN sources say Milwaukee Bucks are closing in on a deal with free-agent guard Jerryd Bayless
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 16, 2014
Bayless, a former Arizona Wildcats, was originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 11th-overall pick in the first round of 2008 NBA Draft, but his rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. After two seasons in Portland, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans (then-Hornets). Just a month later, Bayless was traded to the Toronto Raptors along with Peja Stojaković and some money, in exchange for Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks, and David Andersen. In 2012, he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. In January of this year, the Grizzlies dealt Bayless to the Boston Celtics in a deal that also sent Ryan Gomes to the Celtics and two second rounders to the Oklahoma City Thunder.The Grizzlies landed a Celtics’ second rounder and guard Courtney Lee.
Bayless went for 9.3 points, 2.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game while shooting 40.2% from the floor, 35.8% from three and 79.7% from the charity stripe last season.