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Milwaukee Bucks: Impact of Ersan Ilyasova Trade

By Peter Myhrer

Nov 28, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) points his finger after making a shot during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Bucks win 104-88. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova (7) points his finger after making a shot during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Bucks win 104-88. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Game 4 of the NBA Finals is being played Thursday night, but it’s not Stephen Curry vs. LeBron James that people are talking about this afternoon. A rare trade has taken place during the Finals centering on a player that has never even made it past the first round of the playoffs.

Yes, Ersan “The Eternal Trade Rumor” Ilyasova has finally been traded off the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that he has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with. Speaking of ties to Milwaukee, Racine native Caron Butler is once again returning to the area for his second stint with his hometown team. The deal also sends forward Shawne Williams to Milwaukee. Williams played for the Miami Heat this past season before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans and then being claimed by the Pistons off of waivers.

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The players coming back aren’t the reasoning behind the deal from Milwaukee’s perspective though. This deal was done to open up cap and roster space for the draft and free agency.

Caron Butler’s contract is a $4.5 million team option for the 2015-16 season and Shawne Williams’ 2015-16 year is unguaranteed. It’d be a major surprise if the Bucks choose to keep either of them heading into next season. Regardless, Butler is happy to be headed back to Milwaukee.

If the team decides to dispose of both contracts, the Bucks will have $22 million in cap space heading into free agency. The team could be a real player in July with Ilyasova’s $7.9 million salary off the books. They have cap space, a coach that players love, and a bright future. For once, the only thing players have to complain about in Milwaukee is the cold.

The Bucks have bird rights on Khris Middleton because he has played three NBA seasons without being waived or signing with another team. He is still the main priority for free agency, but the Bucks can go over the salary cap to keep him. Of course, being over the cap space can have future repercussions like the luxury tax and less flexibility in future free agencies. A team that is mainly home grown like the Bucks though, will be less effected by the future free agent inflexibility than other teams.

That being said, Milwaukee would only need to go over the salary cap to sign Middleton if they also signed a major free agent. Some big names are unrestricted free agents this summer. The list includes Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Monroe. There also are some smaller names like Kyle O’Quinn whom I talked about in a previous article, that could be productive and keep the Bucks in good financial shape moving forward.

The Bucks (barring a major trade up) won’t be in position to draft the talented center they need in this year’s draft. Will this position cause them to sign an all-star center  in this year’s free agency?

The new Bucks front office has been anything but predictable in the last year, so it’s impossible to know. They’re not afraid to make the surprising move, and Thursday’s trade of Ersan Ilyasova is just another example of that.

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