Free agent forward Chris Copeland and the Milwaukee Bucks are "finalizing a deal" on course to be completed this week, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. The deal is for one year and $1.1 million, per Real GM's Shams Charania.
Chris Copeland signs 1-year contract with Bucks, per report
Milwaukee will reportedly take a flier on the former Pacer forward.
Copeland, 31, will give Milwaukee a floor-spacing forward to replace Ersan Ilyasova and Jared Dudley, who were traded in separate deals, and the team still has its mid-level exception without a ton of other options. It would be a reasonable way for the Bucks to add potential depth without making much of a commitment.
Relatively inexperienced for his age with just three NBA seasons under his belt, Copeland is coming off a major down year with the Indiana Pacers. An efficient scorer as a rookie with the New York Knicks and a sophomore with Indiana, he lost his touch in Year 3 and finished the season averaging just 6.2 points per game on 36 percent shooting.
The Bucks have to be optimistic they could get more of the earlier Copeland, who shot 48 percent from the field and 42 percent from three in his first 97 games. Those numbers would make him a valuable weapon off the bench for a team that's forging its identity on the defensive end. With Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton already on the roster, Copeland could focus on what he does best and offer some quick doses of scoring as a reserve.
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