NBA FanHouse

Andrew Bogut Wants Five More Years of Brats, Beer and Cheese

Matt Watson — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, Milwaukee, NBA Transactions

John Hammond has had an awfully busy first few months as the Bucks GM, finding a coach, preparing for the draft and swinging a semi-blockbuster deal for Richard Jefferson. He can now cross one more thing off his list: giving his franchise center an extension.

Andrew Bogut has agreed on a five-year deal that could be worth up to $72.5 million, including $60 million of guaranteed money. That's not quite as much per year as Chris Paul (who was selected three spots below Bogut in 2005 and recently agreed to a four-year, $68 million deal), but it's certainly a hefty raise and will easily set him up for life. Bogut is in Australia at the moment preparing for the Olympics with his country's national team, but he's expected to fly to the U.S. so he can officially put pen to paper on Friday.

It's still unclear what Hammond's master plan looks like (will Michael Redd remain part of the picture? will Ramon Sessions supplant Mo Williams as the team's point guard of the future), but locking up his up-and-coming big man was a no-brainer. Sure, the Bucks would probably take Paul or Deron Williams if given a do-over on the 2005 draft, but if Bogut continues to improve at his current pace he could be an All-Star this coming season.

Andrew Bogut Wants Five More Years of Brats, Beer and Cheese originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Jefferson Doesn't Think the Nets Will Be Very Good Any More

Tom Ziller — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:35:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, Bucks, New York, Milwaukee

Crisis averted, if you let the reports Richard Jefferson had been displeased at being shipped to Milwaukee bother you much. As often happens with these things, Jefferson made to Milwaukee and seems happy now. In his introductory press conference today, Jefferson revealed what made the trade sweeter than originally perceived.

After calming down and evaluating I looked at the opportunity here. An opportunity to get back to the playoffs and I really don't think the Nets are going to be headed there in the next couple years. They've voiced that with some of the moves they've made.

The two moves, of course, being Jefferson's trade (for Yi Jianlian) and the Jason Kidd-Devin Harris swap. To be honest, the point guard maneuvering likely served to make the 2008-09 Nets more potent than the previous version. But Jeff's right: there's no way to dust the Yi/Bobby Simmons acquisition as anything but "building for the future."

Meanwhile, though some have penciled Milwaukee in for contention for a lower Eastern playoff seed, it seems like Jefferson's ability has been sold short. He's a greater scorer (9th per-game last season) but an efficient shooter who gets to the line and takes the bad three sparingly. His rebounding has fallen off -- with little team-based excuse -- in recent years, and (as Jefferson admits in the presser) his defense needs to be resuscitated. Let the magic of Scott Skiles' perfectly manicured fingertips take control.

Richard Jefferson Doesn't Think the Nets Will Be Very Good Any More originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bucks GM Not Obsessed With PG Purity

Tom Ziller — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Milwaukee

Recently, the myth of point guard purity has been a bit of a personal bleating issue for me. Consider me thrilled, then, to see new Bucks general manager John Hammond address it head-on in a wide-ranging interview with BrewHoop. Hammond takes issue with the assertion shooting PG Mo Williams isn't a good match for wing scorers Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson.

"To be an NBA effective player, you have to be able to make shots. If you don't have a guy that can shoot the ball like Mo or make plays like Mo, then guys like Jefferson or Michael aren't going to get open as easily. So anytime you have a scorer on the floor I think he can complement other people. Everyone's looking for the consummate point guard, but there are just so few of those."

And, as we've learned with Jason Kidd, being the "consummate point guard" isn't necessarily a boon. Assists and "pointguardness" are severely misunderstood concepts in the NBA; that many recent championship teams have lacked a top-flight point guard (Derek Fisher, Jason Williams, Rajon Rondo?) seems to be lost on pundits as we all search for the next Steve Nash (who has actually shot a lot more the past couple years).

Jefferson and Redd have been very efficient scorers in the recent past. If Williams and the frontcourt can also score efficiently, there will be little problem overall with Milwaukee's offense. And there shouldn't be -- this is a talented offensive team. The real consternation regarding the Buck backcourt should come on the other end, where neither Williams nor Redd have shown they can be consistently stout defenders.

(Be sure to check out the first two parts [I, II] of BrewHoop's Hammond interview as well.)

Bucks GM Not Obsessed With PG Purity originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yi Jianlian to N.J. for Richard Jefferson

Tom Ziller — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: Nets, Bucks, NBA Draft, New York, Milwaukee

Blockbuster No. 2, my friends: SI.com's Ian Thomsen says the Nets have agreed to ship expensive small forward Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Chinese star Yi Jianlian and highway bandit Bobby Simmons. No picks involved, says Thomsen.

If this happens, it is a monumental deal. While J.O-for-T.J. might matter more on the court next season, Yi landing in New York City (err, at least a few minutes away) is a huge coup. While Milwaukee had adopted Yi as well as any Midwestern city could, the po$$ibilities with the Nets are just phenomenal.

For Milwaukee, this bolsters an already potent offense, shores up the most troublesome position, and either destroys or preserves the common belief Joe Alexander is going here at #8 in tonight's draft, depending on whether the Bucks think JoeAl can play power forward. If not, could Alexander slide down to #10 into N.J.'s waiting grasp? Remember, Alexander speaks Mandarin, and the Nets definitely need a new small forward, assuming Yi sticks to power forward, which he played at in Milwaukee.

Thomsen also notes that Simmons' contract expires in 2010, which is the summer LeBron James potentially becomes a free agent. I could not be more sure that this is only an incredible coincidence.

Yi Jianlian to N.J. for Richard Jefferson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joe Alexander Would Make More Money if Picked by the Bucks, Which Seems Weird

Will Brinson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Draft, NBA Gossip, Milwaukee

An NBA player's marketability is determined by a combination of their talent, location and personality. Talent, of course, usually wins out (see: James, LeBron and Cleveland, Ohio).

But in the case of Joe Alexander, location might somehow be more important. And only if he is drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, which seems to go against everything that should be right. No offense, Milwaukee. Darren Rovell explains.

Here's the deal. Alexander grew up in Taiwan and Beijing and speaks Mandarin. If he is on the same team with Yi Jianlian and plays at all, he'll instantly become popular in China, which could have more basketball fans than the U.S. population.

Alexander told me that he's well aware of the marketing opportunities that arise from playing with a Chinese player.

"Playing in Milwaukee would allows things I do on the court to resonate with the Chinese people," Alexander said.

I'm not sure what's more fascinating: that someone could make more money in Milwaukee or that Alexander is fluent in Mandarin.

Either way, Rovell's dead on. Look no further than the boost in popularity that Shane Battier and Tracy McGrady receive (particularly the former) simply by being teammates with Yao Ming. Seriously -- they consistently show up on All Star ballots, mainly because they have the entire Chinese demographic backing them.

Alexander would get similar love from Yi's fans which would be insanely magnified by his ability to speak the official language of China (Wiki tells me 836 million peeps use it; not too shabby a start for a fanbase). So don't be shocked when he triple fist pumps falling to the Bucks at eight.

Joe Alexander Would Make More Money if Picked by the Bucks, Which Seems Weird originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Milwaukee Bucks

Brett Pollakoff — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Draft, Milwaukee

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The Bucks' have a lot of issues heading into this off-season, and most of them revolve around below average talent (Bobby Simmons and Dan Gadzuric) receiving above average dollars ($16M next season). The team needs to begin getting its roster in better shape for the coming seasons, and the draft may be able to help them do that via trade.

Picks: #8, #37.

Needs: Small forward is the glaring need, but some roster cohesiveness would be nice too.

Best case scenario: That the Bucks use the eighth pick to entice a team to take back one of their bad contracts.

More likely scenario: With the eighth pick, the Bucks select: Joe Alexander. He finished the season extremely well, and having played three years in college, will be ready to make an immediate contribution.

Please don't take: Danilo Gallinari. My draft turn-offs include refusing to work out for the team that wants to draft you. I know Yi did the same thing last season, but that wasn't him talking. It was the Chinese government.

Trade possibilities: With new GM John Hammond in the fold, I'd say there's a strong possibility the Bucks will look to make a move. However, just because they will try, doesn't mean it will happen. Hammond isn't going to start off his tenure with the Bucks by making things worse, so unless they can get some immediate cap relief and some help on the court at the same time, they may just stand pat.

NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Milwaukee Bucks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Andrew Bogut Getting a Max Contract?

Tom Ziller — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

Last season, very few class-of-2004 draftees got their early extension, and only one received a maximum deal (Dwight Howard). You would figure we have exactly two max players this summer (Chris Paul and Deron Williams -- absolute no-brainers). But apparently, Andrew Bogut and/or his friends in the Australian media think the Buck will join the club. From the Sydney Morning Herald's Jamie Pandaram, via BrewHoop:

What would you do with $80 million? Some of Australia's financially stricken basketballers could give tips to NBA compatriot Andrew Bogut, who is set to receive that figure in just over four weeks as part of a contract extension. [...] The deal Bogut is negotiating is worth an estimated $13.3 million a season over six years with his club, the Milwaukee Bucks, is expected to be formally announced on July 1.

Pandaram offers no sourcing; to be fair, his story mostly centers on how Bogut's good fortune comes at a moment in which Australia's continental basketball league faces financial ruin. BrewHoop notes no contract can be signed until July 9 (deals are negotiated and leaked to the media during the one-week July moratorium, but not made official).

Honestly, based on circumstantial evidence but no inside information, Bogut grabbing an $80 million contract seems unlikely. Bogey's per-minute numbers this year were not as good as Emeka Okafor's 2006-07 numbers ... and many felt the 5-year, $60 million contract Charlotte offered Okafor (ultimately rejected) was too rich. Add in that Milwaukee GM John Hammond learned under Joe Dumars, who never hands out the max, and the $60-65 million range looks far more likely for Bogut.

(Besides Bogut, the two most interesting class-of-2005 test cases for me this summer: Andrew Bynum and Danny Granger. We'll be talking more about them in the coming weeks.)

Is Andrew Bogut Getting a Max Contract? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Michael Redd Safe in Milwaukee?

Tom Ziller — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

In Friday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Michael Redd tells reporter Charles F. Gardner he's been told the Bucks haven't sought to trade the scoring star. Mixed in with other anecdotes, it seems to imply Redd won't be on the market this summer. But take a closer look at Redd's quote.

"They called me and said they had not initiated talks about a trade, and not to pay attention to what was being said," Redd said. "Out of respect, they wanted to tell me to ignore those rumors."

Take new GM John Hammond at his word, but it doesn't mean anything. Most teams, I'd imagine, haven't yet initiated trade talks. The draft is three weeks away, and trades rarely get consummated before the big day. And while I'm not in any war room, there's certainly the sense that the real, serious negotiations don't start until everyone's had their chance to look closely at the draft prospects -- workouts just began Wednesday.

The only question which matters: does it make sense to trade Redd this summer? As a $15 million player on a small-market team with a bloated payroll and only 26 wins to show for it ... yeah, if the right deal's available, Redd should be gone. It'd be different if Milwaukee were knocking on the Eastern Conference door, but this team's not even close.

Thankfully, Redd nor Hammond seem to believe dude will be a Buck for life; these guys are realistic about the need for change. And while the discussion between the two has obviously been good for their relationship, Bucks fans and observers shouldn't read anything into this: Milwaukee's roster will change, and Redd's a likely trade candidate.

Is Michael Redd Safe in Milwaukee? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charlie V.'s On the Block, Says Charlie V.

Tom Ziller — Sun, 25 May 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

Unlikely as you are to be surprised by this, Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva appears to be squarely on the trading block. The source for further assurances dude is very available? Charlie Villanueva himself (via BallHype).

"There are going to be some changes; it's a no-brainer," Villanueva said in a phone interview from his New York home. "I'm starting to hear the same rumors I heard when I was in Toronto.

"I can't control that."

Andrew Bogut (a power forward/center) and Yi Jianlian (a power forward) are the only two secure Bucks, it would seem. Considering Milwaukee changes are both needed and inevitable, and that Villanueva might actually have some value, it's hardly a long leap to imagine him elsewhere. But what kind of value can he draw?

His minutes have fallen every season, and his production has gone with it. He managed a solid 11.7 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes this season -- that lands him in the real good scorer, good rebounder range for a power forward. His shot isn't as efficient as most bigs, though, as he relies a ton on jumpers (he took more threes/game than Rip Hamilton). His defense has been described as murky.

2008-09 will be the final season of his rookie deal, so he'd appear to be eligible as either a sweetener in a salary-dumping deal or a puzzle piece in an exchange of unneeded fellows with potential. At this point, he'd be looking at mid-level money on the open market and maybe $7 million per in restricted free agency (he can sign a contract this summer which would take effect in 2009-10). He needs an environment which will let his per-minute production excel in a rotational glory. Hopefully there's one out there.

Charlie V.'s On the Block, Says Charlie V. originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 25 May 2008 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprewell's Home Was Foreclosed Monday

Matt Watson — Mon, 12 May 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: NBA Gossip, Milwaukee

Former NBA player Latrell Sprewell officially lost his house Monday. From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

A River Hills home belonging to former NBA star Latrell Sprewell was foreclosed on today when he failed to show up in court to contest the action brought by a bank that held his mortgage.

The holder of the mortgage, RBS Citizens Bank, told Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Hansher that Sprewell owes $320,284. According to River Hills records, the house is assessed at $610,000 and has an estimated fair market value of $667,980. Spreewell bought the house in 1994 for $405,000.

I know the automatic reaction among fans is to point and laugh at the silly athlete who didn't know how to manage his money, but there's nothing funny about foreclosure. I'm in the process of buying a house, and over half of the houses I walked through were both empty and in a sad state of disrepair as a result of frustrated owners taking it out on their property before losing it to foreclosure, which is becoming a sad trend in my state. After awhile, it's just depressing.

Money mismanagement affects people of all stripes and income levels, and it's sad when it's entirely self-inflicted by somebody who seemingly had it all before letting it slip away. So while some may crack jokes about Spree's regrettable "I've got a family to feed" quote he made while turning down millions of dollars toward the end of his career, I've lost my sense of humor about people losing their homes. Wherever Sprewell is, I feel for him.

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SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 07: (L-R) Reverend Jesse Jackson and NBA hall of famer Clyde Drexler talk prior to the 2008 NCAA Men's National Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Alamodome on April 7, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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SAN ANTONIO - APRIL 07: (L-R) Reverend Jesse Jackson and NBA hall of famer Julius Erving talk prior to the 2008 NCAA Men's National Championship game between the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Alamodome on April 7, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: The injured foot of NBA Star Yao Ming is seen as he answers a question about Olympics and his foot injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his foot injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming answers a question about Olympics and his leg injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his leg injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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BEIJING - APRIL 04: BEIJING - April 04: NBA Star Yao Ming answers a question about Olympics and his leg injury during a news conference on April 4, 2008 in Beijing, China. Yao Ming will try the therapeutic method of Chinese medicine for his leg injury after coming back to China yesterday. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

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Sprewell's Home Was Foreclosed Monday originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 12 May 2008 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelvin Sampson Hired By Bucks as Assistant

Will Brinson — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, Milwaukee

No one has ever questioned Kelvin Sampson's basketball IQ or his coaching ability. Well, they may have, but it seems pointless; the guy can coach. People have beef with him because of his inability to put down the freaking telephone.

This is a huge problem in the world of college basketball, because of the possibility for NCAA violations. In the world of professional basketball, where Sampson will now be residing as assistant coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, this is not as large a problem.

Former Indiana University coach Kelvin Sampson has agreed to become a Milwaukee Bucks assistant under Scott Skiles, a person with knowledge of the hiring told The Associated Press on Friday. The person requested anonymity because Sampson has not yet signed a contract, although the signing could come later in the day.

This is a second chance for Sampson, who resigned as the Hoosiers' coach Feb. 22 and accepted a $750,000 buyout after an NCAA report charged him with five major NCAA rules violations.

There is certainly reason to wonder why Milwaukee would do this: Sampson is admittedly a consistent violator of the most basic of rules while Skiles is the king of disciplinarians. Just ask Ben Wallace's headband.

On the other hand, Sampson knows what he is doing on the court and has -- as evidenced by his relationship with many of the Indiana players -- been known as a player friendly coach in the past. That attitude could certainly offset some of the grating relationships that Skiles seems to develop because of his coaching style.

Kelvin Sampson Hired By Bucks as Assistant originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 17:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Celebrating Bogut's Unconventional Defense

Matt Watson — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, Milwaukee

There's more than one way to play defense. Everyone celebrates the ones most commonly found on highlight reels -- the vicious block that sends the ball five rows into the stands, the sneaky steal at mid-court that results in an easy fast-break dunk -- but people tend to ignore another fundamental tactic: holding your ground and drawing a charge.

As Alex from BrewHoop pointed out this weekend, Andrew Bogut is one of only a handful of players who excel at both the highlight-reel block and drawing charges:

While the Bucks finished dead last in the NBA in defensive efficiency, Andrew Bogut completed the 2007-08 season with exactly 100 more blocks than he had the previous season, good enough for 1.7 per game. The third-year center also broke through with career highs in points (14.4), rebounds (9.8), and steals (0.8).

There's more: Bogut finished second in the NBA in offensive fouls drawn, with 53. He's placed in the top three overall each of his first three years in the NBA. Drawing charges is arguably more beneficial than blocking shots, which can result in the opposing team still holding possession.

This is another reason why I think the NBA needs improved metrics for discussing player performance. No one ever talks about the leaders in drawing charges, but as Alex points out, they're even more valuable than blocks.

(Of course, players who exaggerate contact to convince the ref to blow the whistle a la Manu Ginobili isn't a good thing, at least for the fans. But that's where a "Deceitfulness Rule" could help out.)

Can you guess who else ranks among the leaders in offensive fouls drawn this year? I would have assumed Ginobili and Anderson Varejao would be among the leaders, but they're actually 37th and 21st, respectively. Instead, Derek Fisher, Bogut, Mikki Moore, Kyle Lowry and Joel Przybilla round out the top five. Not exactly the most glamorous list of players, but I guess the guys who have to hustle the most rarely see their name in lights.

Celebrating Bogut's Unconventional Defense originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kelvin Sampson and the Great Lakes Vortex

Tom Ziller — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:12:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Pistons, Bucks, NBA Rumors, Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported last night that new Milwaukee head coach Scott Skiles is trying to hire disgraced former Indiana U chief Kelvin Sampson as an assistant. Sampson was last seen carousing with the Spurs, apparently after finding out disgraced former Missouri chief Quin Snyder got a gig with San Antonio's D-League affiliate. (Gregg Popovich is like the Dr. Drew for folks with an addiction to recruiting violations.)

Should Sampson land on Skiles's bench, it would complete (we hope) a massive shuffle of coaches in the Great Lakes region. As FanHouse's PostmanR (a Chicagoan) noted in an e-mail: Skiles (who lives in Bloomington during the summer) got canned by Chicago and went to Milwaukee, Sampson got exiled from Bloomington and could end up in Milwaukee, while Indiana hired Tom Crean ... from Marquette, in Milwaukee.

Since it seems unlikely the Bulls (or anyone) will hire deposed Bucks boss Larry Krystowiak, the only remaining solution: hire Detroit assistant Terry Porter, who previously coached the Bucks (check), was born in Milwaukee (check), and played at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point (checkmate). (Presumed Bulls frontrunner Rick Carlisle -- formerly of the NBA franchises in Detroit and Indiana -- would make plenty of "sense," too. And hey, maybe Flip Saunders can get canned and take the long-rumored/long-LOLed Minnesota Gophers gig.)

Kelvin Sampson and the Great Lakes Vortex originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skiles Is a Buck; Redd Is a Scapegoat

Matt Watson — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:45:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, NBA Gossip, Milwaukee

It's official: Scott Skiles is the new head coach of the Bucks, signing a fully-guaranteed four-year deal on Monday afternoon. For all the reasons that Tom Ziller explained yesterday, Skiles is a good fit: the Bucks need to improve on defense and sharing the ball, both of which can be improved with effort and focus. If anyone can get that out of a team, it's Skiles. His personality may wear thin after a few years, but he's a great stepping stone for a team starting near the bottom.

Skiles is actually a close friend of the recently fired Larry Krystkowiak, but I hope Michael Redd doesn't hold that against him. Krystkowiak talked about his firing over the weekend, and the way he tells it, Redd's selfishness during games sabotaged Krystkowiak's best efforts to get the team to share the ball. From the Milwaukee J-S:

"There was a different mind-set in practice than there was in a game," Krystkowiak said. "It was like two different types of teams so we could never address sharing and moving the basketball because we did a decent job of it in practice. It was in games where it didn't happen. . . . Things became very focused on scoring points and that's Mike. Truly great players make the players around them better.

"A lot of times in practice he would defer and wouldn't be as scoring-minded and so I don't know how you're supposed to get better as a team when . . . practice was different than games."

For the record, Redd did make a conscious effort to distribute the ball this year. He talked about it early in the year, and he finished the season averaging two fewer field goal attempts and four fewer points per game than he did a year ago, all while averaging a career-high 3.4 assists per game. Maybe he didn't do enough, but you can't say he didn't try.

Skiles Is a Buck; Redd Is a Scapegoat originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skiles to Milwaukee? It Makes Sense

Tom Ziller — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

Few league followers remain sympathetic to Scott Skiles; after Chicago's disaster of a start this season, followed by a disaster of a middle and a disaster of an end, it seems clear he poisoned the well quite a bit with his angry, abrasive style. Chicago had good defensive talent, and most of the guys were ones you would say work hard. The team needed offensive creativity, if anything, and Skiles nor successor Jim Boylan could provide that.

Milwaukee needs some offensive creativity, too; weapons like Michael Redd, Mo Williams and Yi Jianlian should be able to boast an offense better than 22nd in the league -- the Bucks did have the #13 offense in the league just a year prior with the same pieces, after all. But the defense remained consistent: consistently awful.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Enlund reports the Bucks will likely hire Skiles as their new coach within a few days. With the above findings in place, it makes too much sense. If the Bucks offense can get back on track while Skiles incites some team defense out of the bunch (and there's potential for this -- with long Andrew Bogut and Yi, and good quickness in the backcourt), this team can easily vault into the Atlanta-Indiana-New Jersey range. With a(nother) top 10 pick and some reassignment of assets, they could get even better.

Of course, this supposes new GM John Hammond doesn't want to immediately make his mark by detonating the locker room. Of course, Skiles could be a star candidate for that gig, too; it was, after all, the incredibly young 47-win 2004-05 Bulls which stands as the coach's greatest bench triumph. This could work, folks.

Skiles to Milwaukee? It Makes Sense originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firing Season Continues: Bucks Dismiss Coach Larry Krystkowiak

Brett Pollakoff — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

We're barely a day removed from the end of the regular season, and we already have our second head coaching casualty. Earlier today the Bulls relieved Jim Boylan of his duties, and now the Bucks have decided to similarly part ways with Larry Krystkowiak.

The Bucks' Coach K had a dismal first season as head coach, as the team basically refused to play defense and finished with a dismal 26-56 record. Krystkowiak (try typing that three times fast) blamed the lack of defensive-minded players on the team, and a shoot-first mentality by some of the players for the team's issues.

"It's more about a team concept instead of a bunch of talent," Krystkowiak said. "I think we have a lot of guys looking to score, and we've had a heck of a time with chemistry. I think that probably needs to be looked at a little bit more, the aggressive, physical, defensive-minded blend to go with some of the guys that we have."

Defense was a problem for sure, but I think the reason Larry is unemployed today is because this team simply gave up on him. There's no excuse for getting blown out night after night the way this Bucks team did, and they had some horrendous losses. Losing by 31 at Toronto, 43 at Philadelphia, and recently giving up 151 points in regulation -- to Boylan's disappointing Bulls -- are likely indicators that the team desperately needed a change in leadership.

Firing Season Continues: Bucks Dismiss Coach Larry Krystkowiak originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ramon 'Memo Guy' Sessions Strikes Again

Matt Watson — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, NBA Last Night, Milwaukee

The video is already a few days old, but it's still relevant considering Ramon Sessions set another career-high by scoring 25 points to go along with 14 assists in Milwaukee's season finale against the Timberwolves. Now, I imagine most of you probably just asked yourself, Ramon who?

Well, in case you haven't been paying attention (and I understand if you haven't been -- the Bucks did end the season on an eight-game losing streak), Sessions is Milwaukee's rookie point guard who's come out of complete obscurity to average a double-double the last month of the season (11.3 points and 11.3 assists), including an obscene 20 point, 24 assist performance earlier this week. For more, read up on BrewHoop.

You want to know the crazy part? He didn't even make his NBA debut until March 9th, instead spending most of the league terrorizing the D-League. Seriously, Larry Harris, you deserved to be fired just for that. Needless to say, but I'm guessing the first order of business for new GM John Hammond is putting Charlie Bell squarely on the trading block.

Ramon 'Memo Guy' Sessions Strikes Again originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorry Sports Guy, Looks Like John Hammond Is Going to Get That Bucks Job

Will Brinson — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Bucks, Eastern, NBA Media Watch, NBA Rumors, Detroit, Milwaukee

Bill Simmons dream of running an NBA franchise may have hit a little speed bump today. And by "speed bump" I mean it has been totally derailed. The Milwaukee Bucks, according to Marc Stein, have reached an agreement to "lure" John Hammond away from the Detroit Pistons to run their front office.

Hammond's first task in Milwaukee, according to sources, will be hiring a veteran coach to help the Bucks make a firm assessment of their talent after a group expected to compete for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference woefully underachieved in Larry Krystkowiak's first full season on the bench.

Sources say Hammond is expected to make a strong push to hire former Pistons coach Rick Carlisle. Working as an ESPN analyst this season after leaving the Indiana Pacers, Carlisle is also widely considered as a strong candidate to coach the Chicago Bulls next season.

If you are a Bucks fan -- even one that was staunchly behind the potential of the Sports Guy experiment -- you have to be thrilled right now. Hammond has resisted overtures for quite a while now -- and it appeared he was resisting Milwaukee's as well -- and in case you don't watch basketball, he and Joe Dumars put together a decent team in Detroit for the past few years.

Maybe it's just me, but assuming that nothing else changes (which it probably will) and Hammond and Carlisle get hired (I don't see why not) but the Bucks are immediately about 10 times more respectable than they were yesterday. Or would have been if they'd let the Sports Guy run the team. It will be interesting, of course, to see how much leeway Herb Kohl will give Hammond, but you have to think that if he agreed to move to a rebuilding project of his own, he's at least getting more or less carte-b to make the Bucks decent again.

HT: JCM, Esq.

Sorry Sports Guy, Looks Like John Hammond Is Going to Get That Bucks Job originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Easy Yi Done For the Season

Tom Ziller — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Bucks, NBA Injuries, Milwaukee

Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian has played in fits and starts since early March, missing time due to a wrist injury, fatigue, and other symptoms. But now Milwaukee has decided to give him the rest of the season off after an MRI showed sprained ligament. (And before you ask: Yes, Yi will be ready for Beijing, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Charles F. Gardner.)

So... was Yi the right pick at #6 in the draft? Since-deposed GM Larry Harris's decision to take Yi hasn't been proved terribly wrong by the performance of any drafted lower. Thaddeus Young has arguably been the biggest revelation picked after #6, but no one was talking about him in the top half of the lottery. Corey Brewer, Brandan Wright, Joakim Noah and Spencer Hawes -- none of those draftees have significantly outplayed Jianlian this season (with Noah having the best case).

Of course, draft decisions can't be graded after one season. That's the problem with Yi, though -- we still don't know how old he is. He says he's 20; multiple sources place him as 23. That's the difference between LeBron James's age and Kevin Durant's age. It matters a ton. If he's already 23 and he's not among the top 5 rookies of the year ... can we reasonably expect him to become a star? If he's 20, though, there's that much extra cushion both to excuse his fatigue and to allow room for growth.

Easy Yi Done For the Season originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Milwaukee's GM Search Progressing, Bill Simmons Still Waiting For Phone Call

Tom Ziller — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:05:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Bucks, Suns, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

The Bucks are wasting no time in finding a new general manager, unless you consider the last two weeks "wasted time" as Milwaukee's owner Sen. Herb Kohl waited on Donnie Walsh's rejection and Doug Collins's eventual thanks-but-no-thanks. Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times says Phoenix senior VP David Griffin -- the guy Memphis tried to hire last summer -- was in Milwaukee Monday to chat with the Bucks. Woelfel also reports Milwaukee has talked to former Seattle GM Rick Sund.

Tom Enlund of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says Detroit has rejected the Bucks' request to interview Joe Dumars's top assistant, well-respected John Hammond.

Meanwhile, ESPN columnist Bill Simmons still awaits a reply to his unrequited desire to take the job. OnMilwaukee.com columnist Jeff Sherman begs the franchise to at least interview The Sports Guy (via the improbable BS4GM). Me? I'd endorse Frank of Brew Hoop, who seriously knows his stuff.

Milwaukee's GM Search Progressing, Bill Simmons Still Waiting For Phone Call originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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