Milwaukee Bucks 2013–2014

[molitor fan]

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/video-o-j-mayo-ties-his-shoe-instead-of-playing-defense/

 

Unbleeping real.......OJ Mayo going full Idon'tgiveacrap

[nate82]

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/video-o-j-mayo-ties-his-shoe-instead-of-playing-defense/

 

Unbleeping real.......OJ Mayo going full Idon'tgiveacrap

 

That is awesome! If this helps the Bucks lose all the better and hopefully the other 4 on the court do this also.

[RockCoCougars]

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/video-o-j-mayo-ties-his-shoe-instead-of-playing-defense/

 

Unbleeping real.......OJ Mayo going full Idon'tgiveacrap

 

Why is it that everyone the Bucks sign to a multi-year deal or extension immediately turns to a steaming pile? This has been the case for more than twenty years, so it's not all on one particular regime (unless you are counting Kohl). I'm not talking not performing up to the contract, I'm talking about either becoming injury riddled or garbage. The only player that I can think of that came in on a non rookie contract and produced was Ray Allen. Dunleavy would be another one, on a small scale.

[rwa12]

We draft day traded for Ray Allen, he had a rookie level contract. I can think of a few over the last few decades, but I agree with your point. Cassell, Tim Thomas, Salmons (before the extension), Kukoc, Ridnour (first go round), all were reasonably productive. Not much lately in that department.

[Baldkin]

http://www.basketballinsiders.com/video-o-j-mayo-ties-his-shoe-instead-of-playing-defense/

 

Unbleeping real.......OJ Mayo going full Idon'tgiveacrap

 

Why is it that everyone the Bucks sign to a multi-year deal or extension immediately turns to a steaming pile? This has been the case for more than twenty years, so it's not all on one particular regime (unless you are counting Kohl). I'm not talking not performing up to the contract, I'm talking about either becoming injury riddled or garbage. The only player that I can think of that came in on a non rookie contract and produced was Ray Allen. Dunleavy would be another one, on a small scale.

 

When you consistently spend your money on the single worst cost/value for free agents (mid level guys, who aren't needle movers) you're going to miss a lot.

[paul253]

With Philadelphia in all out tank mode and the Bucks playing a little better I'd be surprised if the Bucks still finish with the worst record in the league. Probably not the worst thing in the world as it seems like the team with the worst record rarely gets the #1 pick.

[Baldkin]

With Philadelphia in all out tank mode and the Bucks playing a little better I'd be surprised if the Bucks still finish with the worst record in the league. Probably not the worst thing in the world as it seems like the team with the worst record rarely gets the #1 pick.

 

They have a 4 game lead in the win column with 25 games to play. I think Philly gets at least 1 more win, perhaps 2, which means the Bucks have to go 5-20 the rest of the way to be in the coin flip for the worst seed.

 

The reason you want the worst record is because there are 4 players in this draft who could be superstars (in my opinion) and then you can take the 12% chance of dropping to 5th (with the 2nd worst record) off the table.

[fondybrewfan]

Philly is mega bad. I mean if the Bucks beat them like that who are they really going to beat? It probably will at least get a lot tighter than the 4 game cushion now.

 

It really all depends on who comes out. If Parker, Embiid, and Wiggins all come out then along with Exum there is your Top #4. Randle is #5 but perhaps not quite on the same level. Even if you have the 2nd worst record you are very likely to still end up in the Top #4. The likelihood that the ping pong balls will reward 3 teams other than MIL and PHI is probably pretty unlikely. Those two teams have 44.9% of the total ping pong balls.

[brwrsfan]

Yeah, even if we wind up with the second worst record, the odds are very slim that we'd fall all the way to 5th. That would mean that neither the Bucks or the Sixers won any of the three lottery spots. Possible, but the odds are against it. The number one team has a 25% chance at the top pick, the #2 team 19.9%. That's for the top pick. After that one, let's say they get jumped, the odds get greater as that teams chances are removed.

 

For awhile I wanted the Bucks to get number one because I had dreams of Wiggins or Parker in a Milwaukee uniform. But now, I'm pretty convinced that Hammond would blow the draft pick. So if we pick 2-3 and don't necessarily have to make a choice (and hopefully Embiid is gone), then that's fine with me too. With the players and contracts we have in place, taking a big man #1 is just absurd unless it's someone like Shaq. This team needs scoring and there are two potential superstar scorers in the draft IMO. If we're in the top 2, we better wind up with one of them.

[bball123h]

Just curious, why is everyone convinced he'd blow the pick? He probably grabbed the best player in the draft last year while not in the lottery...

[Outlander]

I don't think he would necessarily blow the pick, he has actually done pretty well drafting but every GM has their Joe Alexander moment. It is managing the roster, salary cap and developing the younger players that I have a problem with. He drafted Giannis but made some pretty bad signings in Mayo/Zaza/Neal/Delfino. Do give him credit for not signing Jennings to a long term deal and getting two young players in return in Knight and Middleton.

[Baldkin]

Just curious, why is everyone convinced he'd blow the pick? He probably grabbed the best player in the draft last year while not in the lottery...

 

Because in 6 years of drafting and trades and attempts at building a team he has managed to accidentally put together the worst team in franchise history. Why would you have confidence in him with that track record?

[fondybrewfan]

It is pretty ridiculous that he actually intended this team to make the playoffs. That was the plan. The fact that it has failed so badly really should cost him his job but it won't. I mean the GM of the Milwaukee Bucks thought this team was good enough to make the playoffs and right now they have the worst record in the league by 4 games. If that isn't an indictment on his capabilities as a GM I don't know what would be.

[GAME05]

i don't have a problem with his drafting. there haven't really been any first-rounders that i had big disagreements with at the time, and he's done a good job finding good second-rounders. Drafting Smart as a Top-3 is the only way he could screw up the coming draft, but him pushing a fan probably took care of that possibility.

 

sure he says it's a playoff-caliber team, but he has to say that to help sell tickets. and you have to wonder how much freedom he really has with Kohl as the owner. i get the sense Hammond is more of an Assistant GM. the conspiracy theorist in me would say that he was told to build an 8-seed team, so he knowingly signed crap-tastic players like Mayo to give the allusion but actually tank for a good pick.

[paul253]

I think it'll be hard to blow this pick, especially if it's a top 4 pick. We can debate who we want between Embiid, Parker and Wiggins but none of them would be a terrible pick. And Dante Exxum at 4 would be a solid pick as well. I just wish he would have found a way to add an additional first rounder.

[rwa12]

The time to pick up an additional 1 was when Gortat was traded. People are clinging to picks this year, and there was no one we could send at the deadline that was worth a 1. It's hard to build a winner when all that is available to you are money chasers. You have to draft well, and I can't really argue his last handful of picks. They just haven't been in a position to draft a franchise guy. Milwaukee can never and will never build a successful team through free agency. The knock on Hammond from me is wasteful spending. However, I'm guessing he was told to blow that money on whoever would come. I understand Butler, because he actually wanted to play here. Mayo could have paid off, but my guess is he'll get moved when some more of his contract is used. He's a useful guy on a good team, but not an alpha dog.

[FVBrewerFan]

Can't believe I'm defending Hammond, but yeah, he has done a very good job on draft day IMHO. Guys like Wolters and Meeks in the 2nd round are couple more example, besides the ones listed above.

 

Building the team has been his problem, but we don't know how much Kohl has to do with that. For example, last year Kohl may have told him he wants to try to make the playoffs. Wish I knew how that dynamic works, becuase otherwise Hammond has made some horrific roster moves.

[homer]

Just curious, why is everyone convinced he'd blow the pick? He probably grabbed the best player in the draft last year while not in the lottery...

 

Because in 6 years of drafting and trades and attempts at building a team he has managed to accidentally put together the worst team in franchise history. Why would you have confidence in him with that track record?

 

 

Drafting hasn't really been the problem. It's everything else GM related.

[Baldkin]

Just curious, why is everyone convinced he'd blow the pick? He probably grabbed the best player in the draft last year while not in the lottery...

 

Because in 6 years of drafting and trades and attempts at building a team he has managed to accidentally put together the worst team in franchise history. Why would you have confidence in him with that track record?

 

 

Drafting hasn't really been the problem. It's everything else GM related.

 

Fine. Is he the guy you want handling the call when Boston calls and wants to trade up from 4 to 2 and he tries to work out a deal?

[jjkoestler]

Fine. Is he the guy you want handling the call when Boston calls and wants to trade up from 4 to 2 and he tries to work out a deal?

 

Yes. I trust Hammond when it comes to the draft. In this scenario he knows his guy will be there at 4.

 

I wouldn't trade out of the top 3 at this point because I think Wiggins, Embiid, and Parker are clearly the top prospects of the draft. I don't now much about Exum (nobody really does), but he seems like a nice consolation prize if the Bucks fall out of the top 3.

[RockCoCougars]

I really don't think that Hammonds has drafted all that well. OK for his spot in the draft, but outside of Giannis and Sanders nothing really stands out- and Giannis is purely upside at this point. Obviously, his strategy his to draft the high upside, high risk guys. Giannis may be a home run, but the jury is still out. I'd probably give him a B- on his drafts. He's actually done really well relatively speaking in the second round, but he's pretty much given all of those guys away. Bottom line, he's really done nothing to instill confidence in me that he's the guy I want making a potentially franchise altering pick at the top of the draft.

[homer]

I really don't think that Hammonds has drafted all that well. OK for his spot in the draft, but outside of Giannis and Sanders nothing really stands out- and Giannis is purely upside at this point. Obviously, his strategy his to draft the high upside, high risk guys. Giannis may be a home run, but the jury is still out. I'd probably give him a B- on his drafts. He's actually done really well relatively speaking in the second round, but he's pretty much given all of those guys away. Bottom line, he's really done nothing to instill confidence in me that he's the guy I want making a potentially franchise altering pick at the top of the draft.

 

You need to look at his drafts relative to performance of his draft picks vs. those taken below him. He's done well in that regard.

[RockCoCougars]

I really don't think that Hammonds has drafted all that well. OK for his spot in the draft, but outside of Giannis and Sanders nothing really stands out- and Giannis is purely upside at this point. Obviously, his strategy his to draft the high upside, high risk guys. Giannis may be a home run, but the jury is still out. I'd probably give him a B- on his drafts. He's actually done really well relatively speaking in the second round, but he's pretty much given all of those guys away. Bottom line, he's really done nothing to instill confidence in me that he's the guy I want making a potentially franchise altering pick at the top of the draft.

 

You need to look at his drafts relative to performance of his draft picks vs. those taken below him. He's done well in that regard.

 

He's been about 50/50. In the Joe Alexander draft, the Stephen Jackson debacle and even the Jennings draft, he passed on several players that have turned out to be better pros.

[fondybrewfan]

Is there really any doubt that the Lakers are going to somehow get the 1st or 2nd pick? It almost seems inevitable to me. NBA would rather have the superstars in LA or PHI than MIL.

 

I imagine the Bucks will be caught by Philly pretty soon as that team has all but given up. They don't even try anymore.

 

I will go out and say Milwaukee ends up with the 4th pick and Hammond does something stupid.

[DatHoser]

If the Lakers get the first pick, I vow to pack what little NBA stuff I own in a box and send it to the league offices. The message won't mean jack squat to them as they are already laughing all the way to the bank, but at least I won't have to see that stuff anymore.