Bucks Readying Offer Sheet For Jeff Teague

There are strong indications that the Bucks are preparing an offer sheet for restricted free agent Jeff Teague, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Stein adds (via Twitter) that the threat of an offer sheet could lead the Hawks and Bucks to ramp up talks on a potential sign-and-trade.

Throughout free agency, Milwaukee has been said to covet Teague, and the Hawks have been linked to both Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, making a sign-and-trade deal a realistic possibility. However, it appears the Bucks' interest in Teague may be stronger than Atlanta's interest in either Ellis or Jennings. The Hawks also don't seem all that enthused by the possibility of re-signing Teague and are have shown some interest in Mo Williams as an alternative, according to Stein (via Twitter), so it will be interesting to see what the team decides to do in this situation.

There are a few points worth mentioning on a potential offer sheet for Teague from Milwaukee. First, if Teague officially signs an offer sheet from the Bucks, the teams will no longer have the option of working out a sign-and-trade — the Hawks would have three days to either match the offer or let Teague walk to the Bucks. Additionally, as Zach Lowe of Grantland points out (via Twitter), Milwaukee would likely have to make at least one corresponding roster move to clear space for a competitive offer for Teague. That could mean amnestying Drew Gooden, or renouncing their rights to Jennings and Ellis.

In other words, there's some incentive for both sides to negotiate a sign-and-trade here, so the rumblings that the Bucks are readying an offer sheet may be just a tactic to move those negotiations forward.

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