Milwaukee Bucks 2013–2014

[paul253]

The NBA draft does need to change but not in some stupid way like that. The NBA draft is becoming more and more like the MLB draft in that you are essentially drafting a guy based on potential. I think the best thing the NBA could do would to be change their eligibility rules. My ideas are:

 

a) change draft eligibility to something like the NFL where players are not allowed to enter the draft until three years after their high school class graduates

b) allow high school kids to enter the draft and then start a viable minor league system where the young kids could play and mature.

c) allow teams to draft players and retain their rights for 4 years. The NBA team can then choose if/when to sign the player, allowing the player to play in the NCAA before they are signed. It'd be similar to what the NHL does. So like last year the Cavs could have picked Andrew Wiggins #1, told him to go to school for a year or two, then sign him to a contract.

d) Do something similar to what MLB does. Allow players to be drafted after high school. But if they choose to go to college they have to stay in college for three years. Unlike MLB though, I would allow teams to retain the rights of the player they drafted for a number of years. None of this "I don't like the offer so I'll try again next year" crap like MLB allows.

 

As far as draft order goes. It should be worst to first. Tanking or not, the worst team should get the first pick. There is a such a talent disparity in the league now. 18 of the 30 teams are under .500 and certain teams have built in advantages in getting free agents.

[fondybrewfan]

Apparently the Bucks are shopping Larry Sanders right now. Way to sell low Hammond. I don't think they would get squat for him right now. If you can get a mid first round pick then I would be OK trading him but I don't think that is happening.

[jjfanec]

Worst draft proposal ever but it doesn't surprise me with the NBA. They want so badly to see the Lakers, Bulls, Knicks, Heat, etc to be relevant every year. What I don't get is that the NBA worries so much about tanking but the NFL doesn't seem worried even though it is a shorter season and thus easier to manipulate the draft. If the NBA does this they might as well contract a few teams because it will be almost impossible for Milwaukee, Charlotte, and others who don't already have superstars to become championship contenders

[patrickgpe]

i agree, the wheel draft method is stupid. what the NFL has figured out is that parody is the best way for your league to succeed. This years draft has the potential to immediately increase the fortunes of 5 nba also-rans. Its bad enough that free agency clearly favors less than 10 franchises since star free agent will only go to large / warm cities, but to give those teams lottery picks half the time is insane.

 

i know that there are teams that get top picks every year and still are bad. Also i know there are teams that fully intended on tanking this year. This though is at a cost since gate receipts, tv ratings, merchanise all suffer. Its too bad that the bucks really haven't had a top pick since bogut and really had no intention on tanking 2013-14.

[Baldkin]

i agree, the wheel draft method is stupid. what the NFL has figured out is that parody is the best way for your league to succeed. This years draft has the potential to immediately increase the fortunes of 5 nba also-rans. Its bad enough that free agency clearly favors less than 10 franchises since star free agent will only go to large / warm cities, but to give those teams lottery picks half the time is insane.

 

i know that there are teams that get top picks every year and still are bad. Also i know there are teams that fully intended on tanking this year. This though is at a cost since gate receipts, tv ratings, merchanise all suffer. Its too bad that the bucks really haven't had a top pick since bogut and really had no intention on tanking 2013-14.

 

In the NFL you have 22 starting players. The NBA has 5. If they wanted to get rid of the superstar bias, they would need to remove the salary cap. Guys like LeBron and Durant are hugely underpaid (while most middle-of-the-road guys are overpaid).

 

Anyway, as for the "trading Sanders" rumors, that came from Amico, who mostly seems to just make stuff up and hope some of it is true. Considering he never seems to have a source in any of his articles, his opinion is no different than yours or mine, really.

[RockCoCougars]

I live in Charlotte and went to the game tonight - some of my thoughts:

 

Knights 14 assists were generally under the radar passes to jump shooters, nothing really creative off the dribble...I do like him as a combo guard off the bench as he has a nice shot and can drive to create his own offense....the guy does not have pg instincts from what I have seen, but he is just 22.

 

Mayo is just junk...oh how i wish we could flip him for something worthwhile....a turnover machine that has zero basketball instincts

 

Speaking of instincts, that is what I find most fortifying about Giannis' game...the guy is the smartest player on the court at age 19....i want him as our future point guard...i know it's crazy, as he is already 6'10 and a half, maybe growing to 7 feet, but I swear this kid could be Magic Johnson

 

I have my doubts on Henson ever being a starter on a championship quality team....too flipping weak even with his sick wingspan....Jefferson could have had 40 tonight if the Bobcats had a point guard (Kemba and Knight should go bowling together)

 

Middleton and Knight could be excellent 6th and 7th men on a championship caliber team....Miroslav can be a good 10th or 11the guy and Wolters could be a decent backup pg

 

Stick a fork in Ridnour and Butler....please find a trade partner for them Bucks(and Neal too)

 

From what I've seen, I agree with pretty much all of your assessments. I've been saying that the Bucks may have the best bench in the NBA, the only problem being that most are starters. They are a team of 6th men as key starters with some deeper rotation guys. Their point guards are that in name only. I can't believe how much Ridnour has fallen off in the past few years, he was really good his first stint, but he is toast.

[LouisEly]

I like the idea of retaining rights like in the NHL. What I think the NBA needs is a free agent loss compensation system something like baseball. The current system gives teams the right to make the largest offer to their own free agents, but that only forces teams to overpay for their own free agents or risk losing them for nothing, and overpaying for players in a salary cap league is a sure way to create a losing franchise. Have it be like baseball, where if a team makes a qualifying offer they get a first round draft pick from the signing team if it isn't a top 10 pick. That way teams don't have to overpay for their own free agents and can allocate their salary cap more efficiently and effectively and get compensation for losing good players.

[rwa12]

I agree, a penalty for signing big names would be good, but it wouldn't stop any decent team from doing it. There is rarely talent outside of the lottery that makes a significant impact. I would guess Miami wouldn't think twice about giving up the 30th pick for a marquee name. These teams often give up their late firsts, because they don't want the guaranteed salary. Personally, and I know this is impossible, but I would like to see a salary slot structure. You have 15 players on your team. It would structure like this:

1 $15 million dollar slot

2 $10 million dollar slot

2 $ 8 million dollar slots

3 $ 5 million dollar slots

3 $ 2 million dollar slots

2 $ 1 million dollar slots

2 $500 K dollar slots

 

This would give everyone a payroll of $74 million annually. There are billionaires lining up to buy franchises. If you want to own an NBA team, this is the price of business annually. I think this would increase parity, and make strategy important. You want LBJ, Wade and Bosh? Figure out which one gets the 15, and if the other 2 will take 10. Additionally, this should avoid the nasty Maggette/Gooden/Salmons contracts. Hell, the players would barely need agents. They could look at who has what salaries available and apply within.

[fondybrewfan]

Bucks odds of getting a Top #3 pick are looking really good right now. As of today they have 3 less wins than the next crappiest team. They are at 7 wins with a bunch of teams at 10-11. Not a whole lot of winnable games coming up either. I hope Hammond is making an effort to trade some veterans.

 

I have no idea who the Bucks would pick at #1. Wiggins and Parker are both SF and that is also Giannis' natural position. You can't really move Giannis to #4 I don't think. I think you would just have to play a really big lineup. Knight, Parker, Giannis, Henson, and Sanders would be a huge starting 5 but they might struggle to score until Giannis develops his offensive game a bit more.

 

I probably would pick Parker right now if I had to choose. Wiggins has been a little underwhelming. Randle at Kentucky is another option but do we really need another big man? Exum, Gordon, and Embid are also in the picture but I don't think are worthy of a #1. Maybe if the Bucks trade down or fall to #3.

[patrickgpe]

I'd take parker and not worry about the alphabets natural position. those problems take care of themselves. the bucks need a playmaker and parker is by far the best one now. the bucks are in no position to not take the best player on the board regardless of position.

[fondybrewfan]

Yeah you definitely have to take the top player on your board. I would just be curious how you fill out a lineup with Giannis, Henson, and Parker on the court at the same time. Between Giannis and Parker I don't know which player would be better suited to play SG; probably Parker. Wiggins would seem to be a better fit for the Bucks team but I haven't really been impressed with him

[GAME05]

i've seen one mock draft board that had the Bucks taking Joel Embiid with the #2. but most of the others agreed with patrick, that Parker is the best player and you be foolish to pass up drafting the best player.

 

if you're a team that's so bad as to be drafting in the Top 3, you're probably overestimating your talent level if you're worried about a draft pick getting blocked by a current roster member. i mean, Fielder was drafted when we still had Overbay and Hart was already a good 1B prospect, but it seemed to have worked out well.

[LouisEly]

Sanders and especially Henson are too skinny to be true PFs - they get pushed around down low, a big reason why the Bucks give up so many offensive rebounds. The Bucks are second to last in the league in opponent offensive rebounds (Lakers are last) this season and last season were tied for last in the league. Part of it is that Sanders and Henson go for blocks all the time, which puts them out of position for a defensive rebound, but they need some muscle down low. I would have no issue with Randle (6'9", 250) or Embiid (7'0", 250) as they both have the size to keep opponents off of the offensive glass.

 

Of course, you don't pass on Michael Jordan because you have Clyde Drexler, but I don't know if Parker is MJ. (If he is, he can play SG.) The Bucks do think that GA is athletic enough to play SG; that would make for a very interesting defensive presence as his length will give SGs fits when shooting from the outside. If they beat him off the dribble, it forces the SGs to drive to the basket to a waiting Sanders and Henson ready to swat them. Offensively GA can post up down low and take advantage of his height. If GA is in fact athletic enough to play SG it could be quite a matchup problem for opponents.

[Baldkin]

Parker is a 3/4, he won't be playing the 2 at all. Wiggins is a 2/3, much like D-Wade.

[Baldkin]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10268663

 

I told my parents they need to find a way to adopt him. I've always wanted a little brother.

[RockCoCougars]

The Bucks put on an absolute pathetic display of basketball tonight. This has to be rock bottom. The bottom line is that in the draft, the Bucks need a scorer. Hoping they get lucky and can take Parker.

[And That]

I ran the ESPN draft simulator about 50 times and every time, regardless of whether they picked 1, 2, 3, or 4, the Bucks took either Parker or Randle. It was about split down the middle which one they ended up with. They got Parker as low as 3 and Randle as high as 2.

[jjkoestler]

I'd be livid if the Bucks picked Randle. He'd be a fine pick in any other draft, but this one is loaded with potentially franchise changing prospects.

 

Right now my top 4 are:

Parker

Embiid

Wiggins

Exum

 

I think the Bucks will get hosed and end up drafting 4, and I would be very happy with Exum.

[molitor fan]

This is the poster the Bucks gave away that shows how much taller Giannis is from draft night....it looks like more than the 1 1/4 inches they state actually.....I see him as eventually being a 7 foot Magic with the right coaching.....can we coax Phil Jackson out of retirement if we get Jabari Parker?(Wishful thinking I know).

 

Giannis is younger than Embiid and 3 months older than Parker and Wiggins....He is doing some amazing things....his block last night after getting off a screen may be the best play he has made all year and among the best in the nba this year and the freaking Bucks bench does not even react. Shameful.

 

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/011114_GreekPoster.jpg

 

and here is the vine of the block

 

https://t.co/BPsfO9FBmz

[TooLiveBrew]

This is the poster the Bucks gave away that shows how much taller Giannis is from draft night....it looks like more than the 1 1/4 inches they state actually.....I see him as eventually being a 7 foot Magic with the right coaching.....can we coax Phil Jackson out of retirement if we get Jabari Parker?(Wishful thinking I know).

 

Giannis is younger than Embiid and 3 months older than Parker and Wiggins....He is doing some amazing things....his block last night after getting off a screen may be the best play he has made all year and among the best in the nba this year and the freaking Bucks bench does not even react. Shameful.

 

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/011114_GreekPoster.jpg

 

and here is the vine of the block

 

https://t.co/BPsfO9FBmz

That poster has him visually represented as at least 3" taller than he was on draft day. Strange.

 

And that was a sick block.

[fondybrewfan]

Apparently the Bucks might never win a game again. Good news is that Giannis has played pretty well the last couple games. Bad news is Sanders has continued his horrific play. Sanders looks to be coasting after getting his big pay day.

 

At least Drew is playing the young guys now; Butler, Neal, and Mayo have all had their minutes reduced pretty significantly. I was thing how promising this team might look if Tobias Harris was still on the team. Yeah maybe we wouldn't be as bad as we are and maybe they wouldn't have taken Giannis if Harris was penciled in at SF but a young team around Parker, Giannis, Harris, and Henson would have been fun.

[Outlander]

Yes, it is nice that the young guys are playing except for the exception of Wolters. Wolters is probably the best point guard on the team and would actually help them win a game here or there because he is a true point guard.

[paul253]

I was just perusing the NBA standings and I couldn't help but laughing. Four teams in the East.....FOUR....have records above .500. The gap between the haves and the have-nots seems like its getting bigger every year.

 

The NBA has got to do something about its draft so that teams aren't constantly drafting potential. If you either make it like the NFL where players are not eligible until three years after their HS class graduates or make it like the NHL where a team can draft you and then retains your rights for a certain period of time I think that would be a big help. The NBA franchise wouldn't have to spend half of the rookies first contract trying to develop the guy while he sits on the bench. Instead he can develop in the NCAA or overseas while playing against guys at his own talent level.

[FVBrewerFan]

but a young team around Parker, Giannis, Harris, and Henson would have been fun.

 

Yea, add Knight to that mix also. That would have been a pretty nice "green and growing" team to watch. Sanders could still be a part of that, but I have my doubts.

[JimH5]

Does the NBA count tickets sold, or actual people in attendance at the games?

 

The box score from last night's Bucks game says 11,379--but on tv, the place looked really empty. Like maybe 7000. . .though I turned it on in the 4th quarter.

 

That's going to be tough to sell the idea of a new arena with that kind of attendance.