Ersan Ilyasova's Contract Waived by Bucks After 2020 NBA Draft

The Milwaukee Bucks have requested waivers on the contract of forward Ersan Ilyasova, the team announced Thursday night.

Ilyasova, who was drafted by the Bucks in 2005 and has played for six franchises, averaged 6.6 points through 63 games last season, when he saw 15.7 minutes per contest.

The Turkey native was set to move to the Sacramento Kings alongside Donte DiVincenzo and D.J. Wilson as part of a sign-and-trade deal for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Justin James. However, the swap fell through and Bogdanovic will become a restricted free agent, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.  

A 33-year-old forward, Ilyasova rejoined the Bucks ahead of the 2018-19 season for his third stint with the team. He made his NBA debut in the 2006-07 campaign, appearing in 66 games for Milwaukee, before he joined Spain's FC Barcelona for two seasons. He returned to the Bucks on a new deal when he came back to the NBA in 2009 and remained in Milwaukee until 2015. 

In the middle of his career, Ilyasova played for Detroit, Orlando, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia and Atlanta from 2015 to 2018 before he went back to Milwaukee for two years. In his first season back, it was clear his best basketball was behind him, as he started a career-low seven games and his scoring average dropped below double digits for the first time since 2010-11. 

Ilyasova was entering the last season of a three-year, $21 million deal with the Bucks, but Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus reported last week that the contract would not be guaranteed until Friday, so Milwaukee is off the hook for his salary.