Joel Przybilla of the Milwaukee Bucks has been suspended one game without pay for throwing the basketball and hitting a referee, it was announced today by the NBA’s executive vice president, basketball operations Stu Jackson.

The incident occurred with 1:36 remaining in the fourth quarter of Milwaukee’s 111-85 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Przybilla will serve his suspension on Tuesday, Dec. 18, when the Bucks host the Indiana Pacers at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Przybilla isn’t needed by the Bucks in most of their games. Unless the opposition has a talented, but plodding 7-footer who is slow enough to literally be pushed out of the way, he has zero utility.

Unfortunately, the Pacers are one of those teams.

Below is a video of the incident:

Joel Przybilla has verbally agreed to sign with Bucks. Chose Bucks over Trail Blazers and Mavericks.

— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) August 7, 2012

The 32 year old center was acquired by the Bucks in the 2000 draft after being selected by the Rockets. He spent 3 years in Milwaukee until he was traded to the Hawks in 2004. Przybilla, also know as the “Vanilla Gorilla”, has spent the majority of the last 9 years with the Portland Trail Blazers, excluding a 5 game stretch with the Bobcats.

Right now, all we know is that the deal is only for one year. It’s very likely the Bucks signed him for the veterans minimum of $1.23 million, or a little more.

Oct. 6, 2009; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trailblazers center Joel Przybilla (10) speaks with official Michael Borgelt in the first quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Rose Garden. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

The Bucks have thrown offers at Przybilla for years now, and he has rejected all of them until now. With their acquisition of Samuel Dalembert, we thought the Bucks’ desperate search for a center was over. Apparently not.

Adding up the re-signing of Ersan, the new addition of Przybilla, and Skiles’ love for Drew Gooden, how are we ever supposed to see the young guys on the court ? Ersan and Gooden will likely suck up the majority of the minutes at power forward, while Dalembert and Przybilla will do the same at center. I’d rather see Henson and Sanders taking some time behind Dalembert, but instead we’re handing it off to a mediocre veteran.

The Bucks want to win and this apparently was a move made to push towards that direction, fine. But the franchise won’t be successful if they keep jailing their young talent on the bench. And how are the fans ever supposed to get excited about the team if they can never see the future? In my opinion, signing Przybilla is a small step back for the franchise. It will be helpful for next season, but don’t expect Henson, Sanders and Udoh to see significant minutes after this signing. Give me your thoughts in the comments and respond to the poll question below.