[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSNDCIVMhYs w=600 h=400]

Yes, indeed brothers and sisters. Let’s put our hands, our voices, our prayers together for Ersan Ilyasova.

The Turkish sensation will be put through a trial and tribulation of biblical proportions: playing alongside Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

Now, I freely admit this analysis isn’t the most in-depth and I’ll readily defer to someone who really pounds the keyboard to get a more thorough take, but this Jennings/Ellis pairing is going to squeeze the amount of shots available for other Bucks players, including my beloved Ersan. This is where I also admit that I think Ersan is the greatest thing since Turkish Delight. Hell, he is Turkish Delight.

Here comes the breakdown courtesy of Basketball-Reference and all players tallied must qualify for the MP/G leader board:

Only 32 players this season have a usage rate above 25%. Two of them now play for Bucks. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Such luminaries as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki are in this club.

But only 14 of those players have a true shooting % below .520. Two of them now play for the Bucks. Now we start to worry because such questionable decision-makers like DeMarcus Cousins, Nick Young and Josh Smith are on this list. But other guys like Jordan Crawford and CJ Miles aren’t on the court a lot so, their damage is minimized.

But only 4 of those players play over 35 minutes per game. Two of them now play for the Bucks.

That’s a whole lot of usage (the number of plays that a player consumes while on the court). That’s a whole lot of poor true shooting (a measure combining FT, FG and 3PT shooting). That’s a whole lot of minutes (the amount of time a player spends justifying all the dolla dolla bills in his contract).

And now Ersan is going to feel a pinch in shots. Although there should be ample offensive rebound opportunities! But this is a player who has shown over the past few weeks he’s more than capable of being an offensive spark. But this may all become moot because the deadline is still two days away. Ersan may find himself traded as the Bucks look to cash in on his hot streak before Ersan himself does during his summer free agency.

If this happens, then I’ll truly be bummed.

The Bucks have always been my favorite Central Division team going back to the days of Lee Mayberry and Blue Edwards. I’m not sure I could live in a world where my favorite Buck, Ersan, is hampered by gung-ho guards or shipped away to god knows where… (please, Lord, not the Bobcats, although I do hear the Cult of Biyombo may be worth joining one day).

So again, let’s put our hands together. Lift all our voices and sing. Combine all our prayers and positive vibrations for Ersan.

(but really, we have no idea how this is going to work. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. The NBA always has strange days).