Report: Bucks moving towards extension with John Henson

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The Milwaukee Bucks are hoping to lock up springy center John Henson for the long haul.

The two sides have made progress towards an extension, reports Marc Stein of ESPN. The Bucks consider Henson a key component of their budding young core.

Milwaukee selected the 24-year-old Henson with the 14th overall pick in 2012. Since then, Henson has made significant strides as a defender and blossomed last season, when Milwaukee moved to a high-pressured, frenetic defensive scheme.

Henson's length and quickness make him an ideal defender in Milwaukee's scheme. He averaged four blocks per 36 minutes last season and helped serve as an anchor in Milwaukee's fourth-ranked defense.

The Bucks traded veteran Zaza Pachulia to the Dallas Mavericks this summer, but replaced him with a maxed-out Greg Monroe, who will likely draw the majority of starts at center. Monroe is a defensive liability and Henson is a raw offensive player, so they make for an ideal platoon.

Last season, Henson averaged seven points, 4.7 rebounds, and two blocks in 18.3 minutes per game.