Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report by Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Milwaukee Bucks have been actively shopping Samuel Dalembert.

The emergence of young center Larry Sanders has apparently made Dalembert expendable in the eyes of Bucks management.

Word is Bucks have been shopping Sam Dalembert thanks to emergence of Larry Sanders. Let’s see if Sammy’s 35 & 12 has impact on interest

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 6, 2013

Dalembert’s epic performance during last night’s 114-102 loss to the Denver Nuggets may have raised his value on the trade market tenfold. In 27 minutes off the bench, Samuel scored 35 points on 17 for 21 shooting. He also finished with 12 rebounds (seven offensive), two assists and one blocked shot.

He became the first player in NBA history to score at least 35 points and grab 12 rebounds in less than 27 minutes of action.

Through just 27 games, Dalembert is averaging 6.7 points on 60.6% shooting, as well as 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

He’s been in the league since the 2001-02 season, playing for four different teams over the last 11 years (Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets). While his playing time has been sparse with the Bucks, Dalembert is still a tremendous asset as a defensive center with great length who can rebound and block shots under the basket.

A recent injury could change Milwaukee’s plans, as Sanders left Tuesday’s game with back spasms. His x-rays were negative, but his status for tonights game against the Utah Jazz is still up in the air. If he were to miss any time, the Bucks could halt any trade plans revolving around Dalembert, as he could provide some depth in his absence, if need be.

Chris Walder is the Editor of Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

2011-12 Record: 31-35, third place in Central Division, 9th in Eastern Conference

2012 NBA Draft: C John Henson (North Carolina, 14th overall pick), G Doran Lamb (Kentucky, 42nd overall pick)

Offseason Additions: C Samuel Dalembert (acquired from Houston Rockets), C Joel Przybilla (terms undisclosed)

Offseason Losses: G Shaun Livingston (traded to Houston Rockets), F Jon Brockman (traded to Houston Rockets), F Jon Leuer (traded to Houston Rockets)

Resigned: F Ersan Ilyasova (5 years, $45 million)

Projected Starting Line-up: PG Brandon Jennings, SG Monta Ellis, SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF Ersan Ilyasova, C Samuel Dalembert

OFFSEASON GRADE: C

Apparently, “size matters” for the Milwaukee Bucks.

At least, the franchise made it obvious that getting bigger was their primary goal this offseason.

After trading away former number #1 overall pick Andrew Bogut to the Golden State Warriors in a move that brought over unheralded shooting guard Monta Ellis during March of last season, GM John Hammond and Bucks management needed to forge out a plan to replace the skill and size Bogut brought at the 5 spot.

That plan began with a pre-draft trade that sent role players Shaun Livingston, Jon Leuer and Jon Brockman (as well as the 12th pick in the draft) to the Houston Rockets for center Samuel Dalembert and their 14th overall pick.

By trading down only 2 spots, the Bucks were able to land a starting center. Dalembert is an outstanding shot-blocker (1.9 blocks a game for his career) with a knack for pulling down offensive rebounds (2.7 offensive rebounds a game for his career) and getting easy bucks around the rim (50.6% from the field).

He’s not much for creating his own offense in the post, but with Dalembert, you have to take the good with the bad.

The Bucks would then go on to use their newly acquired 14th pick to select John Henson out of the University of North Carolina. At 6’11 and 220 lbs, Henson is a former 2-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year and 2nd all-time in shots blocked for the Tar Heels. He has a very thin frame and will need to add more bulk to avoid being muscled out of the post in the NBA. I also don’t see where he gets time on a team that already has Dalembert, Ekpe Udoh, Larry Sanders, Ersan Ilyasova and Drew Gooden as a rotation at the 4 and 5 spots. John was the best player available, but I’m not so sure he fills a specific need or hole for this team.

Milwaukee got an absolute steal of a pick in the 2nd round when the team picked guard Doran Lamb of the Kentucky Wildcats 42nd overall. Lamb was the 2nd best shooter in the entire draft, just behind John Jenkins. He shot 47.4% from the field and 46.6% behind the arc in 31.2 minutes of action at Kentucky. He was a first-round talent who somehow fell into the Bucks lap midway through the second round.

There are some heavy critiques of his game that could explain his falling in the draft. He’s not a great ball-handler and doesn’t show much skill when it comes to driving to the rim, which would explain his love for shooting jump shots. Thankfully for Lamb, he won’t be expected to do much of either for the Bucks, as those roles will be filled by starters Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. He will mainly be a backup off the bench who will be called upon to hit open shots and be an effective shooting presence for the teams second unit.

Four-year NBA veteran and Turkey native Ersan Ilyasova resigned with Bucks this summer for a 5-year, $45 million dollar deal.

Overpaid much?

Ilyasova started 41 games for the Bucks last season and averaged a near double-double of 13.0 points and 8.8 rebounds (both career-highs). I’m not putting any ill-will on Ersan, as he played well enough this past year to warrant a new deal. He showed a tremendous increase in his overall numbers over the last 2 seasons, but is one amazing (if that) year worth that kind of money?

The frontcourt is already crowded enough, so it may have been beneficial to the Bucks to somehow complete a sign-and-trade with Ilyasova while his value was at its highest.

So the Bucks got bigger heading into 2012-13, but did they get better?

Competing in the underrated Central Division will be hard enough. The Indiana Pacers are proving to be one of the up-and-coming teams in the Eastern Conference and the Chicago Bulls (sans Rose) are still the Chicago Bulls. The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers are also both on the rise, so nothing is a given anymore for Milwaukee.

The success of this team will ride mainly on the shoulders of their young backcourt of Jennings and Ellis, but at least the Bucks were able to secure some big bodies to help out their star-studded guards.

OTHER OFFSEASON RECAPS: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat

Christopher Walder is a sports blogger and lead editor for Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter @WalderSports