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NBA Milwaukee

Latest Milwaukee Stories

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

Posted: Jul 9th 2008 4:50 PM ET by Matt Watson (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, Eastern, Milwaukee, NBA Transactions

0 COMMENTS
Andrew BogutJohn 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.

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

Posted: Jul 7th 2008 11:35 PM ET by Tom Ziller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Nets, Bucks, New York, Milwaukee

3 COMMENTS
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.

Bucks GM Not Obsessed With PG Purity

Posted: Jul 6th 2008 11:25 AM ET by Tom Ziller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, Milwaukee

1 COMMENT
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.)

Yi Jianlian to N.J. for Richard Jefferson

Posted: Jun 26th 2008 3:41 PM ET by Tom Ziller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Nets, Bucks, NBA Draft, New York, Milwaukee

1 COMMENT
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.

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

Posted: Jun 25th 2008 3:00 PM ET by Will Brinson (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, NBA Draft, NBA Gossip, Milwaukee

1 COMMENT

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.
Continue Reading »

NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Milwaukee Bucks

Posted: Jun 23rd 2008 1:30 PM ET by Brett Pollakoff (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, NBA Draft, Milwaukee

0 COMMENTS
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.
Continue Reading »

Is Andrew Bogut Getting a Max Contract?

Posted: Jun 15th 2008 1:40 PM ET by Tom Ziller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

1 COMMENT
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 Michael Redd Safe in Milwaukee?

Posted: Jun 7th 2008 12:35 PM ET by Tom Ziller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

1 COMMENT
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.

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

Posted: May 25th 2008 8:00 AM ET by Tom Ziller (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bucks, NBA Rumors, Milwaukee

4 COMMENTS
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.

Sprewell's Home Was Foreclosed Monday

Posted: May 12th 2008 9:00 PM ET by Matt Watson (RSS feed)
Filed Under: NBA Gossip, Milwaukee

471 COMMENTS
Latrell SprewellFormer 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.