Bucks will not extend qualifying offer to forward Ekpe Udoh

The Milwaukee Bucks have elected not to extend a qualifying offer to Ekpe Udoh, according to a tweet from Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears. Udoh's qualifying offer totaled just under $6 million. As a result, Udoh will be an unrestricted free agent when the new NBA fiscal year begins at midnight tonight. The Bucks will not have the right to match any contract offer he might receive.

Udoh was acquired from the Golden State Warriors at the 2012 Trade Deadline in the deal that sent Andrew Bogut to the Warriors and brought Monta Ellis to the Bucks. In 141 games with the Bucks, Udoh averaged 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game. His return to the Bucks seems like a long shot, given their current roster composition and Udoh's general lack of upside. However, he's still likely to attract attention in free agency thanks to his youth and strong defensive reputation. If a contending team can find room for a player who contributes very little to the box score, they could get a good value on a solid defensive big man off the bench.