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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks picked up the final option years on the contracts of center Andrew Bogut and forward Charlie Villanueva on Thursday.
Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, and Villanueva, the seventh pick that year, are now signed through the 2008-09 season.
As part of the new collective bargaining agreement, their rookie contracts in 2005 were two years in length, with team options for the third and fourth seasons.
Bogut, 22, averaged career highs in points (12.3), rebounds (8.0) and assists (3.0) in 66 games last season while shooting 55.3 percent from the field in his second season.
Villanueva, 22, struggled with injuries after being traded from Toronto last June for point guard T.J. Ford.
Villanueva appeared in 39 games and averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.
He missed 10 games with a torn ligament in his left elbow, three with a right ankle sprain and 30 more -- including the final 18 -- with right shoulder tendinitis that led to arthroscopic surgery.
General manager Larry Harris also said that qualifying offers were made to restricted free-agent guard Charlie Bell and forward Ersan Ilyasova. That gives the Bucks the right to match any offers by other teams.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-06-21-07 1533MDT
