In case you forgot that Steve Novak was still playing in the NBA, here is your reminder. Novak was on the Oklahoma City Thunder this year but only appeared in seven games before being traded to the Nuggets. Novak was part of the deal that sent Randy Foye to the Thunder, but he was waived before he ever appeared in a game with the Nuggets. Novak was expected to draw some interest from contending teams, but instead he has chosen to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
This is a very interesting decision from both sides for Novak to join the Bucks. For Novak, he has chosen to join a team that is highly unlikely to make the playoffs, and for the Bucks they have added a 32-year-old who likely isn't a part of their future. It is a possibility that Novak didn't draw as much interest as expected, but that would be a surprise considering he is a career 43 percent shooter from three.
For Novak his thought process was likely that he wanted a place where he could earn some playing time. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only true small forward on the Bucks' roster so Novak could find some time behind him. For the most part veterans that agree to buyouts typically want to go to a team where they can compete for a championship, but Novak is looking to play so he can earn a new contract next season. Novak is the second player to do that in the past couple of days, as David Lee had a similar thought process when signing with Dallas.
For the Bucks they may be holding out a tiny sliver of hope that they could surge into a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but their chances are extremely thin. Milwaukee is 6.5 games back of the eighth spot, but they also would have to climb over four other teams before really getting into the race. From a playing perspective it makes some sense to add Novak as the Bucks are in the middle of the pack when it comes to three-point shooting as a team at 35 percent.
Novak did play his high school and college basketball in the state of Wisconsin, so that likely played a big factor in his decision to join the Bucks. Novak also was a teammate of Bucks' head coach Jason Kidd with the Knicks which might have also played a role.
