Bucks are to sign Desmond Mason and Lose Ilyasova to Euro.

[aracko]

Woefel World of Sports

 

07/15/2007: Mason set to rejoin Bucks

Category: General Posted by: Gery

BY GERY WOELFEL

 

 

LAS VEGAS -- Demond Mason is on the verge of becoming a Milwaukee Buck once again.

 

Mason, who played two-plus seasons for the Bucks before being traded to New Orleans two seasons ago, is close to signing a multi-year contract with the Bucks. The amount of the contract is unknown.

 

Word of Mason signing with the Bucks spread among NBA officials attending an NBA summer league here Saturday, and Bucks general manager Larry Harris acknowledged his talks with Roger Montgomery, Mason's agent, were positive.

 

"It sounds like a broken record, but I'm optimistic,'' Harris said in a telephone interview Sunday night. "We had some great discussions today.''

 

Montgomery echoed those sentiments.

 

"We're optimistic about getting a deal done,'' Montgomery said in a telephone interview from his home in San Antonio, Texas.

 

Montgomery declined to further discuss any other matters pertaining to the deal.

 

Mason, 29, was a highly-popular figure during his time with the Bucks. He is one of the league's most athletic and entertaining players. His biggest asset as a player, though, is his defensive abilities. The 6-foot-5 is capable of guarding shooting guards and small and big forwards.

 

Jimmy Eyen, a former Bucks and current Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach, said he regards Mason as one of the premier defenders in the game.

 

"He brings a lot to the table, especially with his defense,'' said Eyey, who was at the Las Vegas summer league. ''I consider him to be one of the best defensive players in the league.

 

"He plays hard every night; he brings it every game, and that's a big part of being a good defender.''

 

On a team that was arguably the worst defensive team in the NBA last season, Mason instantly igures to be the Bucks' best defender. But while Mason is held in high regard for his defense by league officials, he is also a competent offensive player.

 

Last season, in 75 games for the Hornets -- all starts -- Mason averaged 13.7 points. In his final season with the Bucks, Mason averaged 17.2 points a game.

 

"He's a high-energy player, a very athletic player,'' Eyen said. "He has the ability to attack the basket and that puts a lot of pressure on a defense.''

 

* While the Bucks are close to adding Mason, they may be close to losing Ersan Ilyasova.

 

Ilyasova told The Journal Times last month he was seriously considering offers from several teams in Europe, atlhoug his preference was to remain in the NBA with the Bucks.

 

There was a published report that Ilyasova has agreed to a two-year, $5 million with Barcelona in Spain. Harris confirmed Ilyasova was leaving the Bucks, but wasn't sure which European team he would join.

 

"Ersan went to Europe,'' Harris said. "I wasn't told the team he was going to.''

 

The 20-year-old Ilyasova showed much promise last season. He played in 66 games and started 14 of them. He averaged 6.1 points in 66 games. That came after he spent his first season playing for Tulsa in the D-League.

 

 

* While the Bucks may have lost Ilyasova, they are still attempting to re-sign two of their other free agents: guard Charlie Bell and power forward Brian Skinner.

 

* The Bucks played their last summer league game Sunday, losing 79-67 to the Washington Wizards. Second-year pro David Noel led the Bucks with 12 points but made just 4-of-12 shots from the field. The Bucks finished with a 2-3 record.

 

* The Bucks may take another step toward enhancing their relationship with Yi Jianlian, their No. 1 draft choice in the next couple of weeks. There has been talk that Harris and player personnel director Dave Babcock may fly to China to meet with the talented 7-footer, along with his family and officials of the Guangdong Ducks. ... Speaking of Yi, some league people believe Dan Fegan's day of representing Yi are numbered. The scuttlebutt in Las Vegas Sunday was that Chinese officials involved with Yi's situation are becoming increasingly unhappy with Fegan's role in not being able to get him placed with a team in a major market with a large Chinese population.

[Mike Felder]

Interesting...wasn't Mase the one who called Larry Harris "a snake" on his way out of town?

 

I always did like him as a player though, and he seemed like he was a very good "community guy" on top of it too.

[trwi7]

I'm fine with losing Ilyasova to Europe. We still retain his rights and he wasn't going to (nor did I want him) to get significant minutes this year.

 

I'm fine with Mason as well. If Simmons isn't ready he can fill the starters role and take the load off of Simmons if he is ready.

[nullbyte]

Glad to (hopefully) get Mason back. He's a good guy, and a lot of fun to watch.

[patrickgpe]

hes atleast a guy that will attack the basket. He has some defensive presence. I think he is an upgrade from Patterson. Hopefully him and Simmons can be a great tamdem in the 3 spot. Interesting though how he trades mason to free up minutes for bobby and now is forced to resign him because bobby can't stay healthy.

[homer]

As long as Mason doesn't shoot from beyond three feet this is a decent move.

[qrk10000]

Interesting news all around. I have been hearing rumors about Mason's potential return to the Bucks for awhile now. I am glad he and Larry are able to put things behind them. Mason is a hard worker and was well liked by his teammates. As long as they don't try to trot him out as a power forward again (still one of the dumbest ideas I have ever heard), I am fine with this.

 

As for Ersan, this works out very well for the Bucks. He is still very young and this gives him a chance to play more often. I still see a future for him with the Bucks. Hopefully he can return in a few years and fill a hole at small forward.

 

I hope the Bucks can find a way to resign Skinner and Bell too. They were both key role players for the team last year and add a lot of depth to the bench. Now if the Bucks can just find a way to sign Yi....

[cweber39]

I like Mason I am glad he is back, but I though he wasn't a good defender and thats why they shipped him out of town the first time.

 

Side Note: I saw Larry Harris eating at Chili's in Brookfield on Friday night, he was with his daughter, so I wasn't about to go and talk to him.

[molitor fan]

I am hoping trwi or qrk can help me with this retention of Ilyasova's rights. As a free agent, how are we able to retain his rights? Since we signed him as a 2nd round draft pick, and thus the shorter contract, he can sign with whomever he wishes, or so I thought. How are we able to retain his rights?

[patrickgpe]

he is a restricted free agent

[davego]

Nice to get Des back...I guess. Kind of feels like back to the future (without the vests). He is better then Ruben, I think anyway.

 

 

Bring back Darvin Hamm and the Bucks are good to go.

[DHonks]

it's rectifying a huge mistake. Mason was solid at the 3, an active community figure, lived year-round in milwaukee (had even joined a country club), and loved it. Then we signed an inferior player (Simmons), and felt we needed to deal Mason to add the center (Magloire).

[gregmag]

I don't agree that Simmons is inferior -- he showed more offensive versatility in his good year than Mason ever has, and he -- like Mason -- has a strong defensive rep. He had a bad year, and then he got hurt, but he's still young enough to add some serious value.

 

But he did get hurt, and Mason is a guy who can help the team. He can defend three positions, and the one thing he does offensively -- slash, dodge, dunk -- will give the Bucks a different kind of weapon given the other guys we have.

 

In theory I really like a front line rotation of Bogut, Gadz, Skinner, Yi, Villanueva, Simmons, and Mason. Everyone, however, comes with big questions: Can they ever figure out how to use Gadz well? Will Skinner be enough of an enforcer? Can they sign Yi, Skinner, and Mason? Will Bogut, Villanueva, and Simmons be healthy? But if all those guys are there, we seem pretty set up front.

 

The backcourt, though, seems a bit thin behind the starters . . . Redd, Williams, Bell if they resign him, Mason can swing to SG but can't shoot, Greer. The twelfth roster spot shakes out to be a guard if the rest of this comes together. Are they counting on Sessions to make the team, or is another FA coming?

 

Greg.

[brettac1]

I agree with Greg - Simmons is a really good player, way better offensively than Mason. He had a first year where he struggled to find his place on the team, and then he got hurt.

 

Mason's just a solid dude, though, and in the NBA those are pretty difficult to come by.

[trwi7]

Quote:

---

Since we signed him as a 2nd round draft pick, and thus the shorter contract, he can sign with whomever he wishes, or so I thought. How are we able to retain his rights?

---

 

He was a restricted free agent this year and we extended a qualifying offer to him which means we were allowed to match any offer. Same thing applies when he goes to Europe, when he comes back we still have the qualifying offer and can match any offer another team makes.

[Oldcity]

This is pretty cool. Also good to hear they retain the rights to Ersan.

[BillScottCanRake]

The backcourt, though, seems a bit thin behind the starters . . . Redd, Williams, Bell if they resign him, Mason can swing to SG but can't shoot, Greer. The twelfth roster spot shakes out to be a guard if the rest of this comes together. Are they counting on Sessions to make the team, or is another FA coming?

 

Couldn't Simmons play a little shooting guard?

 

If he can, I imagine you'd see Bell backing up Williams and Redd, with Simmons backing up Redd and also playing small forward with Mason. I think there are plenty of minutes available for each player that way, and it allows the team to mix and match some.

[homer]

Quote:

---

Can they ever figure out how to use Gadz well?

---

 

I think a good use of Gadz is as towel boy......or tour guide if they ever go on a trip to Westwood, CA.

[DHonks]

frankly, we don't know if Simmons will play at all...I keep thinking of Grant Hill's injuries

[Mr QL]

I like Dez but dude is done. If we're paying him anything more than 3-4 mil for 2 years it's a big mistake. The guys game is based completely around athleticism and the guy will be 30 before the season. I'd MUCH rather bring Ruben back. Rube is just a much better player who brings some much needed hustle, defense, and toughness who I project to last longer.

 

To top this all off we lose Ersan who would of been twice the player Dez will be with us in his second stint. I'm really starting to hate this offseason. It's pretty much been worst case scenario. Now all that needs to happen is for Bell to leave.

 

Larry better get Yi here and do it soon or else he can start packing his bags. He can go join his daddy in Dallas.

[qrk10000]

He was a restricted free agent this year and we extended a qualifying offer to him which means we were allowed to match any offer. Same thing applies when he goes to Europe, when he comes back we still have the qualifying offer and can match any offer another team makes.

 

Thanks trwi7. You beat me to it. It is quite similar to the Yi situation except that Ersan won't be eligible to reenter the draft. I personally think this is going to help the Bucks because I was concerned about him getting playing time this season (especially if/when Mason is aboard). If Yi signs and we resign Skinner, that gives us our 1-2 punch at power forward leaving Villanueva to back them up as well as fight for playing time with Simmons and Mason at the 3. Ersan simply would not have had anywhere to play, barring injuries. At least this way, he will get to play against some decent competition and get a lot of minutes. If he does well, we can try to resign him in a couple of years. If he stinks it up, then it is someone else's problem.

[qrk10000]

Couldn't Simmons play a little shooting guard?

 

That certainly would give us some flexibility, but I would have to say no. Considering the heel injuries he sustained, it is anyone's guess as to which player will show up. He has most likely lost some speed now and that would make it diffiult for him to guard most 2-guards. If he is healed and 100%, he will be a super addition at the 3, though. As was previously mentioned, Simmons has a rep for being a nice defensive pressence and has a diverse offensive game. His first year with the Bucks was certainly a bust but I am interested to see how he with a different point guard (TJ Ford was at the point when Simmons last played) and a new coach. This is a big year for him. Another note too, he and Mo Williams are good friends so it will be interesting how they work together.

 

frankly, we don't know if Simmons will play at all...I keep thinking of Grant Hill's injuries

 

Those were the exact words of a former Bucks' assistant coach too. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Are they counting on Sessions to make the team, or is another FA coming?

 

Based on the way he has looked in the summer league, I don't think the Bucks will be able to rely much on him this year. He is a project at best who figures to play very little and normally would be a D-league player if we had more depth in the backcourt. I think, if they all stay healthy, Williams, Bell, Redd, Mason, and Greer would all see a lot of minutes in the backcourt. It would probably make sense to bring in a veteran that could play both spots (kind of like Bell) in case of an emergency or injuries. I think Derek Anderson, Aaron McKie, or Janero Pargo could fill that role nicely.

 

Travis Diener is still available too, last time I checked. I doubt he'd be better than Sessions but at least we would draw a crowd from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

[trwi7]

I would say the roster as it looks right now will shake out like this (assuming Mason signs which looks very likely.)

 

PG- Williams/Bell

SG- Redd/Mason/Bell

SF- Simmons/Mason/Villanueva

PF- Villanueva/Yi/Skinner

C- Bogut/Gadzuric/Skinner

 

The Bucks will match any reasonable offer for Bell and if Simmons isn't ready Mason can start at SF with Villanueva being the main backup which opens up more playing time for Yi.

[aracko]

David Noel fits into next seasons plans I hope. He has the skills to turn into a future defensive stopper. Those dont grow on trees.

[brewdude15]

Yi = MC Bust