Hawks claim former Buck Gustavo Ayon off waivers

The Atlanta Hawks have been awarded former Bucks forward/center Gustavo Ayon on a waiver claim, the team announced Monday. 
Milwaukee waived Ayon on Thursday, just prior to the deadline that would have guaranteed the 28-year-old $1.5 million for next season.  
"I'm very excited to join the Atlanta Hawks," Ayon said in a release. "I had a great conversation with coach Budenholzer and can't wait to get to the city, meet my teammates and get to work."
Acquired from Orlando as part of the J.J. Redick trade last February, Ayon averaged 4.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in just 13.6 minutes per game over 12 games with the Bucks.
"Gustavo has a high basketball IQ and is a hard-nosed player," Hawks general manager Danny Ferry said in a release. "He gives us quality depth at the power forward and center positions."
Ayon signed a two-year deal with a team option for a third year with the New Orleans Hornets in 2011. After starting 24 of his 54 games with New Orleans, the Hornets traded Ayon to Orlando last July in a sign-and-trade for forward Ryan Anderson.
Joining Horacio Llamas and Eduardo Najera as the only Mexican-born players in NBA history, Ayon went to summer league with the Bucks to try and impress the new coaching staff into keeping him on the roster. Instead, Ayon averaged just 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in three games, sitting out the final two summer league games with a groin injury. 
The Bucks opted to waive Ayon and sign Serbian center Miroslav Raduljica with essentially the same money.

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