Report: Brooklyn Nets interested in Ersan Ilyasova

Gary Woelfel, long-time Bucks beat writer for the Racine Journal-Times, told a local radio show Saturday that he has it is on "very good authority" that the Nets are again interested in Ersan Ilyasova, and "trying to figure out a way in which to obtain him." The Bucks signed Ilyasova to a five-year, $40 million contract ($32.4 million guaranteed) in July. He has played poorly this season, averaging 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds, compared to 13.0 and 8.9 in his contract year last season. Ilyasova cannot be traded until January 15.

Questioned by Steve "Sparky" Fifer, the host of the Robert Haack Diamond Post-Game Show on WSSP Milwaukee, Woelfel admits "it's going to hard" to get done. The two talk about players that the Bucks might be interested in, specifically MarShon Brooks and Tyshawn Taylor, but both note that their contracts are too small to come close to matching Ilyasova's $7.9 million this season. Woelfel says the Bucks wouldn't be interested in Andray Blatche.

The Nets pursued the 6'10" 25-year-old intermittently during the summer, initially favoring him over Kris Humphries, who the Nets signed for $24 million over two years and who, like ilyasova, hasn't lived up to expectations. Ilyasova has publicly said he is "very upset" about being benched in recent games by Scott Skiles. Against the Nets last Sunday, he contributed 10 points but only two rebounds as a reserve.

Here's a transcript of the portion of the show, Robert Haack Diamond's Basketball Post-Game Show, from Friday night, when the Bucks lost to the Clippers and Ilyasova finished with eight and four in 20 minutes of play.

GW: Ersan Ilyasova, you know, during the summer was courted by a handful of teams, by the Bucks but most seriously by the Bucks, Nets and Raptors and I have it on very good authority that the Nets are still trying to pursue Ersan and trying to figure out a way in which to obtain him. I think that's something to keep an eye on as we got forward here.

SF: Ersan to Brooklyn!?

GW: Yep.

SF: Okay, so what exactly are the Nets going to want from Brooklyn? I know what I'd want! MarShon Brooks is where I'd start.

GW: Yeah. I'll tell you what. MarShon Brooks would love coming to Milwaukee.

SF: Well, he'd get to play.

GW: Absolutely, but he wouldn't mind playing in Milwaukee anyway. He's buried out there plus Avery Johnson, probably doesn't even know he's on the roster. He'd be a terrific young combo guard.

SF: That's not going to be enough though because you've got make salaries work. So it would ahve to be him and something else.

GW: Yeah, it's going to hard. I'm not sure how they can make it...

SF: You know, as crazy as this sounds, I don't think I'd mind Tyshawn Taylor either.

GW: You know what, I wouldn't either. I don't think he's a bad player at all. I really don't.

SF: I wouldn't mind that. That at least is a younger point guard going forward depending on what you want to do with Jennings. ANd he's 6'3" a s true point guard.

GW: Everybody knows they love John Henson so he's going to be part of the future.

SF:: So he [Henson] is the four. (Larry) Sanders is the five probably going forward...

GW: And they love Epke Udoh and ...

SF: and Tobias Harris has to be the three.

GW: That just leaves Ersan as the odd man out.

SF: I'm fine trading Ersan. You're not going to hear me complain about that. I'm just trying to figure out, looking at Brooklyn's roster, what exactly I'd want back if you're going to do this.

GW: Right, right.

SF: Andray Blatche, I'm not convinced. I know he's played well. But I don't trust him.

GW: No, no, no.