The Milwaukee Bucks are signing guard Brandon Jennings of the NBA’s G-League to a 10-day contract, as Jennings confirmed to The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears.
In-order to clear a spot for Jennings on the active roster, the Bucks waived forward Mirza Teletovic, who is dealing with a pulmonary emboli for the second time in his NBA career. The Bucks still owe Teletovic $10.5 million after this season, but they have two options when it comes to that $10.5 million, which Teletvoic is fully guaranteed no matter what.
Milwaukee can apply to have Teletovic’s salary cleared from the salary cap, or they could use the stretch provision on Teletovic to differ up the $10.5 million across multiple years. Clearing Teletovic’s salary from the salary sheet would be the same process the Miami Heat used to waive Chris Bosh from their payroll, who was also dealing with the second pulmonary emboli of his career.
If the Bucks elect to use the stretch provision on Teletovic, he would become the third different player on Milwaukee’s payroll with a stretched contract, joining Larry Sanders and Spencer Hawes. This is likely the route the Bucks may go, because they’ll have to wait until November 7, 2018 to apply to get Teletovic’s salary cleared from the cap, the anniversary of his last NBA game.
Milwaukee is expected to become a tax team in 2018-2019 with a new deal for forward Jabari Parker expected to take the team over the threshold. That’s why the Bucks may opt to reduce the cap hit Teletovic will put on the salary cap in 2018-2019, rather than wait to fully clear it all.
As for Jennings, he is returning to where it all started. He was the 10th overall pick by the Bucks in the 2009 NBA Draft, and spent the first four seasons of his career in Milwaukee before being traded by the Bucks to the Detroit Pistons in a four-player deal that helped bring Khris Middleton to Milwaukee, who is now one of the team’s most important players.
Jennings arrived to Milwaukee on Saturday, and is expected to partake in the team’s practice tomorrow ahead of their match-up with the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis on Monday, a game in-which Jennings is expected to be available for.
“Blessed and grateful for a second chance coming from a franchise where I started,” Jennings told The Undefeated.
It’s presently unclear what role Jennings will serve in for the Bucks, but he will surely sure up Milwaukee’s depleted guard depth that is dealing with injuries to Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova. Dellavedova recently suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury.
The 28-year-old Jennings had been playing for the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ G-League Affiliate after he was claimed off waivers by the Herd on February 13. Prior to playing in the G-League, Jennings had been playing in China, where he ended up regaining his confidence. Jennings averaged 21.4 points, 7.6 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game with the Herd.
The eight-year NBA veteran Jennings will also be playoff-eligible for the Bucks, since he became a NBA free agent ahead of March 1st. Assuming all goes well, Jennings will more than likely end up being signed for the remainder of the season by the Bucks at some point, but could sign another ten-day deal before hand.
Jennings last played in the NBA for the Washington Wizards during the 2016-2017 regular season and playoffs, serving as a backup to star guard John Wall.
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