David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Former Milwaukee Bucks big man Larry Sanders may be mulling a return to the NBA, but at least one team has reportedly ruled out acquiring him.

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Warriors Won't Sign Sanders

Wednesday, July 13

Ethan Sherwood Strauss of ESPN.com reported Wednesday that Golden State looked into Sanders but decided not to bring him aboard as a rim protector.

The Bucks selected Sanders 15th overall in the 2010 NBA draft, and he averaged 6.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in parts of five seasons with Milwaukee, which bought out his contract in February 2015 after his second anti-drug violation and suspension that January.

The 27-year-old wrote a Players' Tribune article and spoke in a video not long after the Bucks waived him explaining why he ended his basketball career abruptly. Sanders said he'd had treatment for anxiety and depression.

Back in February, Sanders told The Vertical's Shams Charania that he felt confident he could return to the NBA once he was ready:

Once my art, music and passions off the court feel stable, I will look into coming back. I still love basketball. I want stability around me, and part of my mindset to leave was not to put all my eggs in one basket. I feel highly valuable on any team. There aren't a lot of people who can bring my game to a team. I still play basketball all the time, staying in shape. I will need to make sure the situation is right for me.

Sanders has uncommon athleticism for someone who stands at 6'11"—allowing him to thrive as a center or at the 4. He has the quickness to guard power forwards who can shoot from beyond the arc and is also excellent at protecting the paint.

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Such skills mean Sanders provides value for any team, provided he can return to the level of play he flashed in 2012-13. That season, he played 71 games, averaging 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and an impressive 2.8 blocks in 27.3 minutes per contest.

The Warriors could use depth up front after trading Andrew Bogut to the Dallas Mavericks as a means of clearing cap space. They also lost Festus Ezeli to the Portland Trail Blazers in free agency.

It appears Sanders will have to try his luck elsewhere if and when he does decide to make his official comeback. Any contender could take him on in a minor role, and Sanders has shown before he can be among the better players at his position.