Beno Udrih will exercise his player option for next season and remain with the Bucks for at least one more year, he tells Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. The option will pay Udrih about $7.37MM in 2012/13.
Earlier this season, Udrih, frustrated by his reduced role this season in Milwaukee, told Woelfel he wasn't sure whether or not he'd pick up the option. At the time, I noted that a $7MM+ guarantee would be hard to pass up, and Woelfel suggests the same thing in his newest piece, writing that Udrih "fully realizes" his market value has taken a big hit this year.
After averaging double-digit points and 30+ minutes in each of the previous four seasons, Udrih is scoring just 5.8 points in 18.0 minutes per game in 2011/12. His shooting percentages are also below his career averages, at .443/.273/.726.
Even with Udrih's player option on their books for next season, the Bucks have a little under $46MM in guaranteed money committed for 2012/13, so they should still have some cap flexibility.