Bucks near Larry Sanders buyout
The Milwaukee Bucks are nearing an agreement on a buyout with big man Larry Sanders, league sources told ESPN.
The Bucks and Sanders, according to sources, are on course to officially part ways by week's end. Sanders likely will receive nearly half of the $33 million left on his contract after this season spread out over the next several years via the league's stretch provision.
Parting ways with Sanders and using the stretch provision will create extra salary-cap space for the Bucks this summer.
Sanders will be eligible to play in the playoffs for another other team once he's formally waived -- because he'll become a free agent before March 1 -- but there have been no indications that Sanders is close to returning to the court from the personal issues that have plagued him.
Sanders has served a 10-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug program but has not returned to the team. He has been listed as out for "personal reasons" in each of the Bucks' past three games.
It is believed that the 26-year-old Sanders eventually wants to resume his NBA career despite the personal struggles that have resulted in two league suspensions in less than a year.
When asked last week about Sanders' status, Bucks coach Jason Kidd told local reporters that it "will be determined during the break."
Because of thumb and eye injuries -- as well as suspensions -- Sanders has appeared in just 50 games for Milwaukee since landing a four-year, $44 million contract extension during the summer of 2013.
Sanders has been one of the league's most effective defensive big men when he's been on the floor, but the surprising Bucks -- off to a 30-23 start under Kidd -- have coped well without him this season, posting a 12-7 record in those games while relying on the likes of John Henson, Ersan Ilyasova, Zaza Pachulia and the recently signed Kenyon Martin.
NBA players don't face suspensions for violating the league's anti-drug policy until their third such violation. Sanders was suspended for the final five games of the 2013-14 season and, through the most recent suspension, forfeited more than $1 million of his $11 million salary this season.
