Report: Brooklyn Nets Showing Interest in Ersan Ilyasova

The Brooklyn Nets have received below-average play from their power forwards (Kris Humphries and Reggie Evans) this season, and general manager Billy King may be scanning the trade market for a potential upgrade.

Gary Woelfel of the Racine Journal-Times (via NetsDaily.com) reports that Milwaukee Bucks power forward Ersan Ilyasova could potentially find his way to Brooklyn before the trade deadline on Thursday, February 21. Keep in mind, however, that he cannot be traded until January 15.

Whether or not Ilyasova is actually an upgrade over Humphries and Evans is an entirely different animal so, for now, let's just focus on the rumor.

This past July, Ilyasova and the Bucks agreed to a five-year, $40 million contract with $32.4 million guaranteed. This would be no easy contract for the Nets to absorb, especially with big-time contracts like Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams already on the roster.

Ilyasova earned this contract after dropping 13.0 points per game and grabbing 8.9 rebounds per game last season for Milwaukee. He also shot a ridiculous 45.5 percent from deep.

He's regressed this season, though, hence his name popping up in trade rumors. He's averaged just 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this season.

On a recent radio show (Robert Haack Diamond Post-Game Show in WSSP Milwaukee), Woelfel and Steve "Sparky" Fifer tossed a few names back and forth that could interest the Bucks.

Both MarShon Brooks and Tyshawn Taylor would interest Milwaukee as young combo guards, though their salaries are too small to absorb the $7.9 million Ilyasova makes this season.

Milwaukee is apparently not interested in Andray Blatche, so this deal would likely be extremely difficult to pull off.

We'll have to monitor this situation going forward, Nets fans. With such poor play from their power forwards thus far, King will be looking to make possible upgrades at the position before the trade deadline passes.