SPORTS

Report: Bucks sign Gerald Green to training camp contract

Matt Velazquez
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
According to a report, Gerald Green (left) has signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The competition for the Milwaukee Bucks' final roster spot gained another challenger Friday.

Gerald Green, 31, a 6-foot-7 wing with 10 seasons of NBA experience, has agreed to join the Bucks on a non-guaranteed, training camp contract, according to a report by The Vertical's Shams Charania. Green, a superb athlete and dunker who is a 36.1% three-point shooter, has built a career off his energy and scoring ability off the bench.

As a reserve with the Boston Celtics last season, Green appeared in just 47 games, averaging 5.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per contest.

However, Green found his groove during the playoffs and started seven of the Celtics' 13 postseason games. He averaged 7.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists, while logging 14.8 minutes per game and making 21 of 45 three-point attempts (46.7%). 

During his 10 NBA seasons, Green has played with eight teams. One of those stops was in Dallas in 2008-'09, when he was a teammate of Bucks head coach Jason Kidd.

From 2009-'11, Green played in Russia.

Green's addition is the latest in a series of free-agent acquisitions made by the Bucks ahead of Tuesday's start to training camp. Milwaukee has added Kendall Marshall, Brandon Rush and James Young in less than three weeks, and all four veterans will be competing for one roster spot.

The Bucks are carrying 14 guaranteed contracts into camp, with Gary Payton II, who has a non-guaranteed deal, the only returning player who does not have roster security. The influx of veteran signees certainly will make a push at the team's 15th and final roster spot, while Payton attempts to hang on with the team he joined in April.

The Bucks also requested waivers on undrafted rookie guard JeQuan Lewis on Friday. Like Bronson Koenig, who was waived Thursday, Lewis signed his contract in early July. It's possible Lewis could end up with the Bucks' G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, provided he clears waivers and chooses to follow that route.

Herd fills coaching staff: The Herd announced its full coaching staff Friday.

Steve Payne, Justin Wetzel and Jamaal Benjamin have joined the inaugural team as assistant coaches, and Jordan Martz will be the team's video coordinator. Former Appleton West and University of Wisconsin star Brian Butch is a coaching associate.

Since graduating from Wisconsin in 2008, Butch has played professionally in the G League as well as abroad. Most recently, Butch played for Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in Japan’s B League.

Payne spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Detroit. Wetzel has coached at the pro, college and high school levels, most recently serving as the head coach at Dickinson State University. Benjamin comes to the Herd after being a coaching associate with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Martz most recently served as the assistant video coordinator at Creighton University, working with the men’s basketball program and coach Greg McDermott.