Milwaukee Bucks 2013–2014

[nate82]

If Butler is this bad wouldn't him playing more minutes be a team tanking?

[FVBrewerFan]

Besides, you've forgotten about Orlando (Howard), Miami, Denver (Anthony), Utah (D Williams), NOH (Paul), and LAC (Griffin) who all "tanked" and got top picks.

 

No, I haven't forgotten about them. Throw in LeBron too. And how many of those guys helped their team win a ring? How many even made it to the finals? Those are all very good players, but hardly worth tanking a season for. Especially when you're trying convince the public, politicians, and investors to build a new arena.

 

Outlander's post above lists true difference makers. True superstars like Jordan, Duncan, Olajuwan, Kobe, etc. And even half of the guys on that list were not the #1 pick. So, in order to get a guy like that you need to tank the right year, then get the right ping bong ball, then guess right on which guy is a true superstar. Now, if you are lucky enough to do all that, he is joinming a horrible roster. By the time it is built up, said superstar leaves.

 

Burn down the house to be able to draft Deron Williams?? No thanks. I don't mind having a young team, with the vets contracts easy to move. And keep building from there. Maybe you stumble into a great player or two drafting lower down, maybe they already have. Keep getting better, and at some point maybe Milwaukee is an intriguing place for a top FA.

 

Look, I'm not Hammonds apologist- he's made plenty of mistakes. And no matter which way they try to build it will be very difficult.

[trwi7]

Why do they need to win a ring? What's more likely in trying to convince the public, politicians and investors to build a new arena? Losing 65 games for a year or two and then consistently winning 50+ games and advancing deep into the playoffs or consistently winning 37-41 games and maybe making the playoffs and getting annihilated by the Heat?

 

LOL at Milwaukee ever being an intriguing destination for free agents. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

[sauveb]

 

LOL at Milwaukee ever being an intriguing destination for free agents. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

 

 

Back in the day they used to say the exact same thing about Green Bay.

[trwi7]

What exactly about Green Bay makes them an intriguing free agent destination? Charles Woodson who didn't want to go there but basically had no choice? Ryan Pickett?

[FVBrewerFan]

 

LOL at Milwaukee ever being an intriguing destination for free agents. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

 

 

Back in the day they used to say the exact same thing about Green Bay.

 

And the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

Trwi7, if you want to argue FA don't want to come to Green Bay, good luck. Ted Thompson obviously doesn't want to sign many FA, but that's a different story. I'm not saying the Bucks will suddenly become the Lakers or Celtics in terms of a destination for FA. But if they build into a winner with young talent, they may be able to get a top shelf FA.

[Baldkin]

 

LOL at Milwaukee ever being an intriguing destination for free agents. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

 

 

Back in the day they used to say the exact same thing about Green Bay.

 

And the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

Trwi7, if you want to argue FA don't want to come to Green Bay, good luck. Ted Thompson obviously doesn't want to sign many FA, but that's a different story. I'm not saying the Bucks will suddenly become the Lakers or Celtics in terms of a destination for FA. But if they build into a winner with young talent, they may be able to get a top shelf FA.

 

The whole point is, if you have young talent, you don't need a top shelf FA, you need to retain that young talent. There have been, what.... 5 top flight FA's in the last 15 years, who actually threatened to leave the market they were in at the time? LeBron, Bosh, Howard, Paul, Kobe (almost went to the Clippers).... I'm probably missing some. If you have young talent, you sign the proper guys to fill out the roster, and build towards a winner quickly -- so that young talent wants to stay. That is where the Cav's messed up. They never surrounded LeBron with anyone who could actually help LeBron maximize his incredibly unique talents, even though they had 7 years to do so, the last year he was there, their offense was still "LeBron, put your head down and charge at the rim".

 

If you think you have the young talent, you don't sign over-paid mediocre veterans to long term deals to start games. You play the young talent. You see who is legit.

[fondybrewfan]

If the Bucks managed to get a top flight draft pick it might be easier to draw a good FA here; I don't know that the Bucks will ever a attract a max contract though. They really do have to build within. I mean Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, etc are never going to come here in a million years. Especially with the way NBA salaries are structured. Every team can basically only offer the same amount of money. So decisions in the NBA ultimately come down to location and the quality of the team far more than in any other sport.

 

It probably shouldn't be a suprise that the Packers rely so heavily on the draft rather than FA. Even with the success that the Packers have had I still don't think FA's would be lining up to play there. Outside of Reggie White a long freaking time ago; no heavily sought after FA has picked GB over someone else. Woodson and Picket were kind of afterthoughts.

 

It sure seems that most FA's on the major sports prefer the big cities and/or warmer climates. Unfortunately, the Packers, Bucks, and Brewers are out of luck and have to develop from within and hopefully get lucky on a trade or FA acquisition every once in a while.

[trwi7]

 

LOL at Milwaukee ever being an intriguing destination for free agents. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

 

 

Back in the day they used to say the exact same thing about Green Bay.

 

And the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

Trwi7, if you want to argue FA don't want to come to Green Bay, good luck. Ted Thompson obviously doesn't want to sign many FA, but that's a different story. I'm not saying the Bucks will suddenly become the Lakers or Celtics in terms of a destination for FA. But if they build into a winner with young talent, they may be able to get a top shelf FA.

 

What top free agents signed with the Packers when Sherman was GM? They were good then.

 

If money is equal, no free agent worth anything is going to choose to play in Green Bay or Milwaukee over LA, Chicago, Miami, New York, Philly,Orlando, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston etc.

[paul253]

So, in order to get a guy like that you need to tank the right year, then get the right ping bong ball, then guess right on which guy is a true superstar.

 

Just for the record, this would be the right year to tank. The projected top pick, Andrew Wiggins, is considered the best player available since Lebron James. And even if you don't win the number one pick the draft is much deeper than in year's past and you can get a quality player even at 5 or 6.

[homer]

What exactly about Green Bay makes them an intriguing free agent destination? Charles Woodson who didn't want to go there but basically had no choice? Ryan Pickett?

 

Kinda hard to judge with a GM that doesn't sign Free Agents.

[homer]

I think a lot of guys would play in Green Bay (or Milwaukee or Timbuktu) if means they'll either:

 

A) pad their stats by playing with someone really good (ala Rodgers) or

B) potentially win a championship

 

Obviously some don't feel that way but there are plenty that do.

 

But having said that, signing free agents is not a prudent way to build and maintain a good team.

[sauveb]

What exactly about Green Bay makes them an intriguing free agent destination? Charles Woodson who didn't want to go there but basically had no choice? Ryan Pickett?

 

When the Packers were in this situation, Ron Wolf was the GM. He signed Reggie White, Santana Dotson and Keith Jackson to name a few. I'm not saying the Bucks will be able to turn it around but history shows that it can be done.

[brwrsfan]

The only thing that makes top FA come to any WI sports team is always the same....WINNING.

 

The Packers didn't really get anyone until they started turning things around (and White getting "guidance"). I think lots of FA would come to the Packers, if Ted actually tried. The Brewers, while we haven't been able to afford any top tier guys, we have signed some decent ones like Wolf, Lohse, Cameron, etc.

 

Free agents aren't going to come to a state with poor weather and poor fan bases (Bucks mainly), unless they really, truely get overpaid, or feel they have a legit shot to win (and sometimes then that isn't enough).

[fondybrewfan]

The Bucks have looked so atrocious this preseason that part of me is thinking they are capable of getting a Top #5 pick. I know preseason can be decieving but I don't think things are looking very promising at the moment.

[yoshii8]

I watched the first half last night, and was appalled at how bad they look. Unless someone like Mayo, Knight or Henson break out, they could easily be one of the worst teams in the league.

[Baldkin]

I watched the first half last night, and was appalled at how bad they look. Unless someone like Mayo, Knight or Henson break out, they could easily be one of the worst teams in the league.

 

Considering they were without... what... 5 of their top 10 guys? 3 starters? Not surprising they didn't look good.

[yoshii8]

The Bulls were without Noah, Butler and Hinrich. The Bucks were only missing Mayo, Ersan, Delfino and Udoh. I'd say that is an even tradeoff. I'm fairly certain they are going to be really bad this season, and I'm more than ok w/ that. I just hope Hammond gets fired because of it, unless it was actually his goal to tank.

[fondybrewfan]

If they are going to be bad regardless; they better give a ton of minutes to Henson and Giannis. Those guys are the only reason to tune into the games. I really don't want to see the retreads getting significant minutes over our young players.

[Baldkin]

The Bulls were without Noah, Butler and Hinrich. The Bucks were only missing Mayo, Ersan, Delfino and Udoh. I'd say that is an even tradeoff. I'm fairly certain they are going to be really bad this season, and I'm more than ok w/ that. I just hope Hammond gets fired because of it, unless it was actually his goal to tank.

 

I thought Butler didn't play, looks like he did.

 

Anyway, they were without their two best players (and two best scorers) against a team who didn't have a lot of turnover and who's probably one of the 3 best in the league. Not surprising they got killed.

 

I don't think they will be really bad. There are a lot of teams who will be trying to lose this year. The Bucks are (once again) trying to 8th seed.

[yoshii8]

I think they only eastern teams that are pretty much guaranteed to be worse than us are Boston, Philly and Orlando. And we are a couple injuries away from being on the same level as them. In the west, I expect Phoenix and Sacramento to be worse than us, but that's about it.

 

I really hope Giannis, Knight and Henson are given a ton of minutes this season.

[Outlander]

The Bucks are (once again) trying to 8th seed.

They can try as hard as they want but they are not making the playoffs.

[RockCoCougars]

Ok, Rock. I'll wager one virtual beverage.

 

Sounds good.

 

The Bucks look like they are going to have some big time problems scoring, it looks like scoring 90 on a consistent basis is going to be a challenge for them. Hope that I'm wrong, but this looks to be an incredibly boring team to watch.

[Hammer]

This screams "Watch NCAA Basketball Instead" to me. This team, even with the retreads playing, is going to be really bad. Hopefully anyone not named Henson, Freak and Sanders (and maybe Knight) is on the trading block at the deadline...

[Outlander]

Looking at last night's box score it better not be a sign of things to come as I have no desire to watch Butler, Mayo, Ridnour, Neal and Zaza eat up the most minutes every night.