Shabazz Muhammad Waived by Bucks; Played 11 Games with MIL Last Year

The Milwaukee Bucks began the process of paring down their roster on Thursday, waiving veteran forward Shabazz Muhammad. 

The Bucks' roster now stands at 19 players. They must pare it down to the maximum of 15 before opening night, though they are allotted two spots for two-way players.

Muhammad, 25, signed with the Bucks last month. He appeared in two preseason games, averaging 8.0 points and 3.5 rebounds. The former lottery pick played 11 games with the Bucks last season.

\Viewed as a promising scorer coming out of UCLA, Muhammad's career never really took off. He played four and a half of his first five seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves but never averaged more than 13.5 points per game. As the game has continued to progress beyond the arc, Muhammad remains a shaky long-range shooter who prefers to chuck from mid-range.

Muhammad didn't really have much of a shot of making the Bucks roster unless he broke out in the preseason. Milwaukee is loaded with depth at the two forward spots, and the guys competing for the final spots appear to have more long-term promise. Christian Wood's 19-point, 15-rebound performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday likely sealed Muhammad's fate.

Wood appears to be the favorite for the final roster spot, but the Bucks still have one more preseason game Friday to figure things out. Muhammad's best option at this point may be heading to China or elsewhere overseas.