The Milwaukee Bucks have several strong shotblockers, but that doesn't mean that their interior defense is effective in limiting easy buckets.

Multiple opposing big men have had strong games against the Bucks in the preseason.

"One of the things about having shot blockers is they're normally blocking shots of smaller people driving in there," Scott Skiles said. "And we're very good at that.

"But big people operating on us in there, you need guards and other people cracking back and dealing with those guys. It's something we're still trying to work on, still trying to get our habits straight.

"It involves everybody. When penetration comes, the big people have a responsibility to step up and stop it. Sometimes that's a block; sometimes it's stepping up higher and stopping it. Then their man is loose, and we have to make multiple reactions."

The Milwaukee Bucks have exercised the third-year contract option on Tobias Harris, and the fourth-year contract option on Larry Sanders and Ekpe Udoh.

Harris, 20, appeared in 42 games (nine starts) last year during his rookie season and averaged 5.0 points with 2.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 11.4 minutes per contest.

Sanders, 23, played in 52 games last season and led the team in blocks with 76 total (1.5 per game). He also averaged 3.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game. 

Udoh, 25, appeared in 61 games (11 starts) split between Golden State and Milwaukee last season, averaging 5.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.67 blocks (11th in the NBA) in 21.2 minutes per contest. 

Brandon Jennings has until Oct. 31 to agree to a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, otherwise he will become a restricted free agent in the offseason.

Jennings cannot recall the last time he spoke with his agent, Bill Duffy, about an extension.

“I talked to him a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn’t about the contract,’’ Jennings said. “I can’t put my hand on what’s really going on (with contract talks). That’s why I just let my agent handle it.

“If anything happens, I’m sure he’ll text me and let me know and let me know what’s offered and then say, ‘It’s up to you.’ But I haven’t gotten that call yet.’’

Four officials from NBA teams said they would give Jennings a contract worth between $9 million and $11 million annually.

The Milwaukee Bucks and the BMO Harris Bradley Center have reached agreement on a six-year lease that runs through Sept. 30, 2017.

The Bucks do not pay rent at the facility.

“This is a good agreement that provides stability for both sides as the community decides its future,” U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), the owner of the Bucks, said in a statement. “We are pleased to have this lease in place and put 100% of our focus on an exciting 2012-13 NBA season.”

The arena first opened in 1988.

The Milwaukee Bucks believe they have a good blend of veterans and young players with upside to compete this season.

“We do feel we’re one of those teams that, if we do remain healthy and if our team fits together, we’ll be a competitive team and a team that vies for a playoff position,” said general manager John Hammond. “I don’t think [chemistry] will be a problem for us.

“If you look at our roster, we have our team core back from last season. We are a young team. A lot of people say it’s difficult to win with young teams, but I say we still have enough veteran guys that can help us that we can be successful.”

Ersan Ilyasova improved his three-point shooting to 45.5 percent last season, a mark he hopes to maintain this season.

"I'm looking forward to doing the same thing this year," Ilyasova said.

"The thing is with all those percentages is that I'm just going to try and take the good shot," Ilyasova added. "Brandon (Jennings) and Monta (Ellis) did a really good job penetrating and kicking and finding me open. All I have to do is knock the shot down. It's a part of our game."

Scott Skiles has been realistic about Ilyasova's three-point shooting.

"Usually, when a player goes from (29.8) percent from three to (45.5) percent from three, usually there's a mean that they revert back to," Skiles said. "I wouldn't sell Ersan short though, as long as he has his feet set and takes good ones. His issue wasn't will he take the three, it was will he take good ones? Will he step in and take some twos? Obviously, he became much more efficient. I just don't want people to think that if he's all of a sudden shooting 41 that he's having a bad year."

The Milwaukee Bucks have seven centers and power forwards on their roster, including Larry Sanders. Sanders, along with Drew Gooden and John Henson, can play either position.

"Almost anybody can play center now against a lot of teams, and there are other teams where you need a legit center out there," Skiles said.

"But Larry has improved, there's no doubt about that. He's gotten better at keeping himself under control. When he does that he's an effective player because he's a good defender and a good shot blocker. He's rebounding the ball better.

"When he plays with activity and changes ends and keeps it simple, he's a very effective player."

The Bucks selected Sanders in the first round of the 2010 draft with the 15th overall selection.

The Bucks now have a pair of true centers in Samuel Dalembert and Joel Przybilla. Sanders, Gooden, Henson, Ersan Ilyasova and Ekpe Udoh give the team a decent stable of big men.

Brandon Jennings added a running floater to his game last season, a move he picked up from watching Steve Nash.

"It's the one-leg floater in the lane," Jennings said. "When you play against a guy like that, you just see the different ways he can score.

"It's not easy what you can take from him. But if you put time into it, I really wanted to perfect some of the things he does. A lot of his buckets are easy. I've watched a lot of film on him and if I ever want to talk to him, I have that direct contact with him.

"And the fact he's 38 and playing is amazing."

Jennings is also working on his defensive game during camp. 

Jennings and Monta Ellis will frequently have to guard bigger guards.

"The thing about being undersized is are they being run down in the post by bigger guards and are bigger guards scoring on us?" Scott Skiles said. "That usually doesn't happen. There aren't that many guards that post up anymore.

"Their main responsibility is keeping people in front of them on the perimeter. Brandon took a step back last year with that.

"We felt like Monta came in and bought into our defense. Both guys have been very good so far this year in camp.

"It's great to have more shot-blocking. We just have to make sure we don't get suckered into that and feel we can give up penetration and those guys are going to swat them all out of there. All of our perimeter people have to try to keep their man in front of them."