Around the Association: 2009-2010 Milwaukee Bucks: Saving a few buck$
by jae on Sep 18, 2009 6:00 AM PDT
in NBA
12 comments
This is a story of a team dead set on avoiding the NBA's salary tax. This is a story of a team with a lofty payroll but without similarly lofty win totals. This is the story of the Bucks offseason, and the team it has produced.
It was a busy off-season for Bucks GM John Hammond. High profile and highly paid SF Richard Jefferson was traded to the Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto. Bowen was waived as his salary was only partially guaranteed. Oberto was promptly sent to the Pistons for Amir Johnson, who himself was later traded to Toronto along with Sonny Weems for Ukic and Delfino. Weems had not been under the Bucks' control long himself, having been acquired earlier in the offseason from Denver along with Walter Sharpe in exchange for Malik Allen. In the end, it much ado about nothing, or as close to nothing as the Bucks could manage as all moves seemed to point to getting the team safely under the luxury tax rather than upgrading or even rearranging talent.
Arriving:
Brandon Jennings (Drafted #10 overall after year overseas)
Jodie Meeks (Drafted #41 overall out of Kentucky)
Hakim Warrick (FA, MEM)
Kurt Thomas (Trade from Spurs)
Carlos Delfino (Trade from TOR)
Departing:
Ramon Sessions (FA to MIN)
Charlie Villanueva (FA to DET)
Richard Jefferson (Trade with SAN)
Synopsis:
Salary reduction seemed to be the name of the game. Ramon Sessions, a gifted young point guard with a knack for getting the ball in his hands and then getting it to the hot hand, leaves the team for Minnesota. The Bucks opted not to match a modest by NBA standards offer from the T-Wolves [Oh if only the Warriors had made such an offer, he'd have at worst solidified the backup PG position behind still untested Monta Ellis or provided a means to keep Monta as a combo guard along side Sessions, who plays bigger than his combine measurements would suggest.] Charlie Villanueva was similarly allowed to depart to Detroit rather than incur the wrath of the luxury tax that keeping him well could have resulted in.
From a business perspective these moves may make sense. It makes little sense to pay premium matching dollars for a team that seemed unlikely to vastly improve on their 34 win season. However, these moves mean that staying at that level may be difficult and it looks like another trip back to the lottery. The ever-bizarre nature of the CBA's tax and cap rules have conspired to slice deep into the Bucks' chances for 09-10.
The cupboard isn't entirely bare. Michael Redd can shoot and score. Luke Ridnour is a competent solution at the point (though certainly not good enough to make Sessions expendable). Andrew Bogut is an above average center who hits his shots and grabs rebounds, but he does not appear to be a franchise cornerstone. These returning starters are joined by 2nd year SF Joe Alexander. Alexander has the athletic tools to excel but showed little as a rookie. He will have to do more, much more for Milwaukee to have any realistic shot at improvement. Hakim Warrick, signed away from the Grizzlies, will likely join Bogut in the front court. Warrick is another top notch athlete, but the net effect is that of a tweener forward, lacking the rebounding ability to solidify the 4 spot and without the perimeter skills to be an effective "3". His high percentage scoring is a plus, but the rest of his game is quietly underwhelming. The most intriguing story may be Brandon Jennings. Jennings showed signs of being an electric playmaker, but whether he can quickly move up to direct an NBA club and whether he can shoot well enough to be a legitimate scoring threat remain to be seen.
Other intrigue? Dan Gadzuric and Francisco Elson give the team a pair of adequate backup centers who both hail from the Netherlands.
Anyone who can get excited about Meeks and the triple-shot of 'meh' in the form of Ukic, Delfino and İlyasova should seek help.
Prediction: 27 wins.
For more on the Milwaukee Bucks check out Brew Hoop:
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Must be dissapointing to be a Bucks fan,
last year they did have a pretty good team, but injuries to Bogut and Redd took them out of the playoff picture. If they had stayed healthy they might have had a chance to run down a free falling Detroit Pistons team. Alexander was a dissapointment last year but Mbah a Moute was a nice find. I personally think Jennings has all the tools to be a very special player, a throwback point guard with a modern swagger. Bogut is still young and Meeks did well in the summer league, so they have some nice young pieces…..but….
it must sting to loose 3/5 of your starting line up for nothing. 35 wins would be a very nice season.
Thing B
by warriorsscore110 on Sep 18, 2009 9:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m shocked and dismayed that İlyasova is killing Ukić in the poll. By my calculations, Ukić’s PII (Player Ignorability Index) is roughly 25% higher than İlyasova’s. The fact that the “İ” at the beginning of İlyasova’s name is freakishly taller than a typical capital “I” is ipso facto 17.3% less ignorable than anything Ukić has done in his career.
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Sep 18, 2009 10:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Haha that’s probably because nobody has even heard of İlyasova until now (I haven’t… for one). Ukić has at least had his name mentioned here and there whenever a hypothetical Bosh trade is brought up.
by WYK on Sep 18, 2009 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
it’s important for me to keep track of the guys who the warriors almost (but not really) acquired in a (very) hypothetical deal for chris bosh.
heart of a champion, will of the warrior.
by cap'n hack on Sep 18, 2009 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
IIRC, one of them may have been Chris Bosh…
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Sep 18, 2009 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
that does ring a bell.
heart of a champion, will of the warrior.
by cap'n hack on Sep 18, 2009 2:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you’re so inclined, the Raptors’ SB Nation site has some discussion about Bargnani’s outlook and his recent new contract. I.must.refrain as we’ve all seen that on the subject of Bargnani I cannot bite my tongue, but it might be amusing for others. One poster said that if it’s between Bosh and Bargnani, he’d rather have Bargnani at half the price of Bosh (in fact, Bosh will not make twice the salary, but for argument, it’s close enough) than to retain Bosh. Sigh.
by jae on Sep 18, 2009 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
One poster said…
Of course, by the “one poster said” gauge, our track record isn’t exactly sterling (or golden), either. One poster here has claimed just about everything, from LeBron sucks to Obama is a fascist… ;-P
You know, I tried to track down the post you’re referring to, and happened instead upon this rather poetic diary. I think there may only be two or three GSoMers capable of prose this good (and I know I’m not one of them…)
This is our problem. And it’s one that’s been beaten, kicked and pistol-whipped more than halfway to death. Our centre doesn’t rebound. He tries, but he’s no good at it. He jumps — arms raised — towards a falling basketball; but there’s always someone else who jumps higher, or with better timing, or who simply pokes the ball out of Il Mago’s soft hands.
Perhaps we just need to accept it. Andrea Bargnani is like our teenaged son turned goth. Sure it might bother us. We can all hope that it’s just a phase, and that better days are ahead. But every morning while we drink our coffee, Andrea comes down the stairs: still with his nail polish, still with his mascara, still with a perpetual scowl.
Andrea Bargnani isn’t particularly efficient. At least, not as far as his movements are concerned. While his shooting percentages have gone up and his turnovers have gone down, there has always been something unnaturally elegant about the way that he plays. From his one-dribble, pull-up jumper, to his curling finger-roll — the big Italian moves with an uncommon grace. It’s luxurious. His movements are so clean and fluid that they appear almost wasteful.
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Sep 19, 2009 9:06 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
i’m going to rec this post just because people should have to read that blockquote you’ve posted. beautifully written and on the topic of andrea bargnani, no less!
heart of a champion, will of the warrior.
by cap'n hack on Sep 19, 2009 10:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think there may only be two or three GSoMers capable of prose this good
I don’t think we have anyone that good since Baumerworld got reformed? Can we flip this guy (or gal) to the Golden State of Mind?
Standing on the moon
Where talk is cheap and vision true
Standing on the moon
But I would rather be with you
Somewhere in San Francisco
On a back porch in July
Just looking up to heaven
At this crescent in the sky
by Skeptic con Urquell on Sep 21, 2009 9:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ilyasova's actually played really well in the Euroleague thing.
Ukic has played crappily pretty much … well… forever.
I support the Tornado Release [See: Joakim Noah]
by Prevenge on Sep 19, 2009 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, at least they hit a home run with that Yi pick a couple years back.
we in the losin baseball binness. and cousin, binness is a boomin.
by walk off bunt on Sep 18, 2009 4:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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