With the Milwaukee Bucks moving so quickly to wrap up Ersan Ilyasova‘s signing, what made the veteran forward such a priority for the Bucks?

When the Milwaukee Bucks decided to spend the majority of their mid-level exception to sign Ersan Ilyasova to a three year deal with two guaranteed years as free agency opened, many were taken by surprise.

Ilyasova is certainly a solid player, but with limited cap space to spend on free agents throughout the NBA this year, one would expect that later in free agency there will be players of Ilyasova’s overall value signed for less.

Instead, the Bucks signed Ilyasova for an average of $7 million per year for two years guaranteed plus a team option for a third year.

The mid-level exception (MLE) is valued at $8.6 million this season, so the Bucks could have split it to sign two players at a lower price, took a chance on a younger player, or considered a player who could have been a better and more obvious fit (Kyle O’Quinn, Alex Len etc.).

In short, the fact the Bucks acted so decisively on day one of free agency and did not hesitate to throw away the possibility of getting a second quality piece with the MLE means that Ilyasova was probably at the very top of the Bucks’ list this offseason.

Why might that have been the case? Let’s examine the potential factors in that decision.

The reason the fit looks weird

Ersan Ilyasova primarily plays the 4-spot. Another player who happens to play the power forward position is Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Another player capable of playing that position is Jabari Parker. Does this mean the Bucks were planning for the potential post-Jabari era with this move? If Parker stays how many minutes can Ilyasova get?

Beyond the questions shaped by the other players on the roster, when it comes to Ilyasova’s more specific characteristics, his lack of quickness means he could be a weird fit if the Bucks opt for a switch-heavy defensive scheme, which could be a huge deal especially against the probable leading force in the East in the upcoming years, the Boston Celtics.

Last but not least, Ilyasova is 31 years old. That means that not only does he not make for a seamless fit with the team’s timeline, but he may also decline across the course of the contract.

The reason it could work

A small ball lineup with Antetokounmp and Ilyasova sharing the frontcourt is certainly the most intriguing possibility following this signing.

Out of the stretch-4s in the market, Ilyasova is the strongest presence under the rim with his decent rebounding and overall hustle. If coach Budenholzer plans to play him alongside Giannis for 12 or more minutes per game then all of a sudden there is plenty of playing time for the 31-year-old to justify the $7 million he will be getting.

Ilyasova did play some center with the 76ers in the regular season and got even more time at that position in the playoffs. He averaged 7.6 rebounds in 23 minutes per game in the 2018 playoffs. Meanwhile, the Bucks looked better off against the Celtics after John Henson got injured. Traditional centers are becoming less useful in the playoffs in the small ball era of the NBA.

With that in mind, the thought of Ilyasova soaking up some center minutes is certainly appealing.

When it comes to his scoring, and more specifically his three-point shooting, Ilyasova’s ability to space the floor around Giannis is of course very appreciated. The Turk’s presence on the roster vastly increases the amount of possible lineups centered around Giannis and shooters.

However, it’s worth noting Ilyasova’s shooting is streaky. Most recently in the playoffs, Ilyasova shot 35.3 percent from three-point range against the Heat and just 21.4 percent from distance against the Celtics.

Last season overall, Ilyasova had 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game on 43.9 percent from the field and 36.1 percent shooting from three-point range. It’s also interesting to note that in a team stacked with good defenders, the 76ers’ defensive rating was at its best with Ilyasova on the floor.

Ilyasova may struggle to outperform the value of his contract, which is one of the primary criticisms of the deal so far. However, Ilyasova’s package of skills is pretty unique among the players who were available and there are very good chances that he will end up being a very solid addition, particularly if the Bucks can get creative with his role.