NBA Rumors: Goran Dragić Plans to Sign Bucks Contract After Being Waived by Bulls
The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly expected to sign veteran guard Goran Dragić after he was waived by the Chicago Bulls this week.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Dragić plans to sign with Milwaukee for the remainder of the season when he completes meetings with the Bucks on Saturday.
Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Milwaukee had "emerged as the strong front-runner" to sign Dragić.
If Dragić finalizes a deal with the Bucks, he will be set to play for his fifth team in the past three seasons.
The 36-year-old Slovenian appeared in 51 games off the bench for the Bulls this season, averaging 6.4 points, 2.7 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game. He also shot 42.5 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from beyond the arc.
That marked his worst overall production since his rookie season with the Phoenix Suns in 2008-09 when he averaged a career-low 4.5 points and 2.0 assists per contest.
Dragić is in his 15th NBA season, having also played with the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets.
From the 2011-12 season through the 2020-21 campaign, Dragić averaged double figures in scoring and at least 4.4 assists per game each year.
His breakout season came in 2013-14 with the Suns when he averaged 17.3 points, 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. He was named the NBA's Most Improved Player and third-team All-NBA.
In 2017-18 with the Heat, Dragić was named an All-Star for the first and only time, averaging 20.3 points, 5.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds.
Over the past two seasons, Dragić's production has dipped well below his career averages of 13.3 points, 4.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers per game. That is partly due to his significantly diminished roles.
When the Bucks are healthy, Dragić may not have a big role either.
Milwaukee boasts a talented backcourt that includes Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, Jevon Carter and Joe Ingles, among others.
But even if Dragić doesn't play big minutes, he can bring a veteran presence to the locker room and has shown over the course of his career that he can provide an offensive spark off the bench.
More than anything, Dragić would make the Bucks deeper, which is a scary thought for the rest of the NBA since Milwaukee already has the best record in the league at 45-17.
