NBA: Larry Sanders Could Return, Dallas Mavericks Interested
Just a few years ago, former Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders was one of the most promising young defensive players in the league. He was an upcoming player who could have been a great defensive anchor for the young Bucks as he was second in blocks in 2013 with a 2.8 average per game, per Basketball-Reference.com.
However, his potential was marred by a lot of off-the-court injuries and personal issues. NBC Sports has listed it all, including a spat with former Bucks coach Larry Drew because of playing time, suffering a torn ligament on his right thumb in a bar fight causing him to miss the start of the 2013-2014 season, arguing with ex-teammate Gary Neal and suffering a broken eye socket that cost him the rest of the 2014 season.
The issues did not stop there. Sanders was also suspended for five games last season as he violated the league's drug policy when he tested positive for marijuana. He was then suspended again for getting into a scuffle with Nicolas Batum before being put into the inactive list due to "personal reasons."
If that was not enough to get the Bucks management to release him, a second drug-related suspension was the last straw. Last February, both sides made it official as they agreed on a $15 million buyout, wherein the Bucks used the stretch provision, giving them salary cap flexibility for seven years, per a separate NBC Sports report.
Sanders revealed, via The Players Tribune, the reason he walked out of basketball. He was quoted saying, "I actually entered into Rogers Memorial Hospital, and it was a program for anxiety and depression and mood disorders. If I get to a point where I feel I'm capable of playing basketball again, I will."
And it looks like his comeback to the NBA is happening, as reported by Gery Woelfel of Journal Times. He tweeted, "A source tells me a Western Conference team has had internal talks about possibly signing Larry Sanders."
No western conference team was named, but the last team that showed interest in the 26-year-old center was the Dallas Mavericks. In a report by ESPN last February, the Mavericks were considering Sanders, but due to his complicated scenario back then, no deal was signed.
The former Bucks added some fuel to the fire as he tweeted that he just landed in Texas. However, according to league sources of Mavs Moneyball, Dallas has no immediate scheduled talks with the player. The report further said that the Mavericks are in need of a starting center, but they have Samuel Dalembert, Zaza Pachulia and JaVale McGee to choose from.
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