The Milwaukee Bucks have decided to release Spencer Hawes, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They will be using the NBA’s stretch provision to take the cap hit over a prolonged period. NBA.com’s David Aldridge first reported that the Bucks were likely to come to this decision.
Milwaukee plans to waive Spencer Hawes, league sources tell ESPN. Bucks using stretch provision on his $6M salary to get under luxury tax.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 1, 2017
Hawes appeared in 19 games with the Bucks last season after a midseason trade from Charlotte. The big man averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest in Milwaukee.
Hawes was owed just over six million dollars with one year remaining on his contract. By using the stretch provision (at the deadline to save cap space this year), the Bucks will be dividing the cap hit from his contract over the next three seasons again. That saves them about four million dollars this year which could take them out of the luxury tax pending other transactions.
Hawes almost immediately took to social media after the news broke:
#mood pic.twitter.com/IRRUsJb0aR
— The Needle (@spencerhawes00) September 1, 2017
The 29-year-old is entering his 11th season in the NBA. Despite his production falling off in recent years, he can still bring value as a stretch big to a team in need of spacing. That said, Hawes may find himself out of a job until later in the season when teams are more accepting of their needs.
