Milwaukee Buck forward Ersan Ilyasova wants to extend stay in Turkey – NBA Update
Ersan Ilyasova has stated that he would like to stay in Turkey and help his current side, rather than return to the NBA once the lockout is over. The Milwaukee Bucks star is currently playing for Anadolu Efes in Istanbul, Turkey.
Ersan apparently likes the project, Anadolu Efes have to offer and is also enjoying his stay in Istanbul. The player still has a contract with the Bucks though and if the NBA lockout ends in time to save the season, he could be
called back by his American franchise. To cater for such an eventuality, an escape clause was inserted in his contract, but Ersan doesn’t want to exercise it.
“I want to stay with Anadolu Efes for the whole year. I hope there is a FIBA rule which would allow me to play the season in Turkey and Efes to keep me. We will fight for TBL and EuroLeague. Our goal for the season is to reach
the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Istanbul. We know we are in a very tough group in EuroLeague but we have to go step-by-step” said Ilyasova, as reported by Salsabasket.
The forward has certainly set some good targets with his Turkish side, but the Milwaukee Bucks would require him to achieve their own agenda. The Bucks have been a mid table or below mid table side for quite a while now and finally
look to be gathering some momentum, which could possibly establish them as a playoffs team.
They have Andrew Bogut at centre, one of the better players at his position but someone who hasn’t been able to perform at his premium due to a number of issues. Brandon Jennings is an exciting young player and a sure shot star
of the future, the Bucks expect big things from him next season.
Added to the mix is Stephen Jackson, an accomplished guard who will add plenty of experience to the side, not to mention a very credible scoring threat whenever he takes to the court. With the Bucks finally getting some pieces
in place, they cannot afford to let go of players like Ilyasova, who is a vital but understate part of the roster.
He had a good season with Milwaukee last time out and provided some solid backup play. At the end of the season the forward was averaging 25 minutes and 9.5 points per game, a good enough contribution from a so called role player.
Another advantage of keeping Ersan is the relatively low wage he commands. In a league full of players on bloated salaries and an expected cut in the salary cap coming with the new CBA, Ersan’s $2.5 million contract could turn
out to be an asset for his team.
Tags: