Milwaukee Bucks Thread 2008–2009 (part 2)

[danzig6767]

I believe Lawson will be available for the Bucks to draft at the #10 spot or Flynn could be a possibility. Holiday is the only player the Bucks would have to trade up to get and none of the teams in front of the Kings though would be interested in moving down. But if Rubio drops to the #4 spot I could see the Bucks being able to do a trade with the Wizards and getting Holiday at the #5 spot in the draft by either trading away Jefferson or even Redd and the #10 pick for the #5 pick and Butler. I'm not sure on the money wise if that would work for the Wizards or not but that could be a possibility. Redd or Jefferson on the Wizards would help them with their scoring by getting them another option besides Arenas.

I can't see any chance the Wiz would include Butler in any trade given that he's younger and better than both Redd/RJ. It's been reported that they are open to trading the 5th pick for a veteran, but i doubt they'd want Redd since they already have enough soft scorers, they need some toughness and defense. Who knows though, maybe they'd try to build a team that just is a scoring machine with Arenas/Redd/Buter/Jamison.

[nate82]

I can't see any chance the Wiz would include Butler in any trade given that he's younger and better than both Redd/RJ. It's been reported that they are open to trading the 5th pick for a veteran, but i doubt they'd want Redd since they already have enough soft scorers, they need some toughness and defense. Who knows though, maybe they'd try to build a team that just is a scoring machine with Arenas/Redd/Buter/Jamison.

There is no way the Wizards would be able to bring in a player for a draft pick with their current cap space. I just looked it up to make sure of that. Since most veteran guys have rather high contracts they would have to give up someone with a big contract. Arenas isn't going anywhere that contract is actually worse than Redd's. I'm not even sure Butler would be enough cap space type of a move to allow them to bring in a veteran. For Jefferson or Redd to be added to the Wizards the Wizards would have to trade Butler and Stevenson to even out the money. The Bucks could also do a sign and trade with Villanueva that would send Villanueva and the 10th pick to the Wizards for the 5th pick and another player with an equal or lesser salary.

 

It is a stretch but a lot of other weirder things have happened before.

[Glennron]

Do the Bucks actually have a legitimate shot at Jordan Hill? I wouldn't think he'd slide to 10 but Chad Ford has him going to Milwaukee in his latest mock draft.

[yoshii8]

The Wizards could trade the expiring contracts of Mike James, Etan Thomas, and Brendan Haywood. They also have some other contracts that they could deal in Songalia, Stevenson and Jamison. The definitely do not have to trade Caron Butler to get one of RJ or Redd.

[nate82]

The Wizards could trade the expiring contracts of Mike James, Etan Thomas, and Brendan Haywood. They also have some other contracts that they could deal in Songalia, Stevenson and Jamison. The definitely do not have to trade Caron Butler to get one of RJ or Redd.

I must have missed Haywood and James when I was looking at their team contracts. But a trade that sends Redd and the #10 pick to the Wizards for Haywood, James, and Stevenson and the #5 pick would be interesting. I still don't see it happening but the Wizards offensively would improve with a team of Arenas, Redd, Butler, Jamison, and McGee/Songalia. Not a good defensive team but a team that will put up a lot of points though.

 

The Bucks would be the real winners of the deal though. It gives the Bucks a lot of salary cap relief after next season to either sign someone in free agency or extend someone like Villanueva or Sessions long-term.

 

Another trade that I think is a possibility is sending Alexander to a team in the 18-25 range and take Hansbrough who I think is more polished than Alexander is. They are both about the same player but Alexander has more potential though. If the Wizards stay where they are I believe they will take Jordan Hill.

[patrickgpe]

Do the Bucks actually have a legitimate shot at Jordan Hill? I wouldn't think he'd slide to 10 but Chad Ford has him going to Milwaukee in his latest mock draft.

 

i would love that, fits a need and we get a chris boshish player. I have seen him going 4 in most mocks though.

[ILuvDaBush]

What's the opinion on DeMar DeRosan and the Bucks? I know a lot of people don't think he'll last that long (and I personally think we have a better shot at Holiday than DD) but he would be the ideal prospect in this draft who could take over for either RJ or Redd when they undoubtedly leave Mill-town. He is the best athlete in this draft, without a doubt. He would bring some much-needed athleticism to our team, and imagine Vanilla Sky-DD-The Prince in a few years. Athletes All. I've been trumpeting his accomplishments since before the tourney but the guy would be a great find, especially in this draft. And honestly, he COULD fall. I've never heard any questions about his character (outside of hanging out with L'il Romeo) despite him coming from Compton.

 

And for those who question whether Redd was worth it, does no one remember that our fallback option if we lost Redd was Kelly Rowlands' favorite Bullet, Larry Hughes? And while it may sound quite crazy, I actually think of the Aussie Bogut as being our franchise player. When he's on his game, he can dominate all but the best. It all begins with him. He finally looked to be coming out this year before his back gave way. His style may be suspect but his game is top notch. And the thing with Redd isn't his efficiency with his shot, it's his proficiency in getting off his shot. The southie locks and loads fast enough to put an Old West gunslinger to shame. If only we ran an offense like Phoenix-NY-Toronto. Nevertheless, he's quite valuable.

[trwi7]

And for those who question whether Redd was worth it, does no one remember that our fallback option if we lost Redd was Kelly Rowlands' favorite Bullet, Larry Hughes?

Our fallback option was Ray Allen.

[LouisEly]

Personally, if I'm going to take a SG or SF in the top 10 they better be a sure-thing, not just an athlete (this isn't college hoops - you need guys who can shoot as well as jump). You can find shooting guards and small forwards later in the draft, even into the second round, but unless there's a SG/SF you know will get you 20 points a night I think you go C, PF, or PG in the top 10. If you're stacked at those positions, you're probably not drafting in the top 10.

 

That being said, Redd will be 30 this year and has two years left on his deal, and they need to do better than Charlie Bell as the backup SG in case Redd is hurt, so if there is a sure-thing SG available I wouldn't oppose it at all. Jefferson, Alexander, and Ilyasova basically play the same position (SF), and CV is more like a SF than a PF, so I really don't think they need another SF. IIRC Bogut prefers to play C and not PF, so a PF or PG would be my choice. Assuming Jordan Hill, James Harden, and Jrue Holiday won't be there at #10, my choices would be:

 

1) Jonny Flynn (PG, Syracuse)

2) Stephen Curry (PG/SG, Davidson)

3) James Johnson (PF, Wake Forest)

4) Tyreke Evans (SG, Memphis)

5) Ty Lawson (PG, UNC)

 

Still a toss-up though; I watched Flynn play in the Big East and I think he'll be a good pro - Sessions might be gone and Ridnour will be gone one way or another by the end of next year. Curry could play either PG or SG, filling two roles. Big guys from Wake Forest seem to do well in the NBA - the Bucks need a true PF and Johnson at 6'8", 255, would fit that mold. Lawson could be a better pro than college player; more of a passer than scorer, but the shooting % was excellent. If Tyreke Evans should fall to #10 and Flynn and Curry are both gone, he would be really tempting to fill that backup/future SG role.

 

I have a bad feeling about DeRozan. Something tells me that Milwaukee won't be a big enough pond for him, and that his focus isn't entirely on basketball. I don't see him wanting to be here, or wanting to stay here. Interesting though - his player similarity on ESPN.com? Richard Jefferson. Jeff Teauge seems like Mo Williams - more of a shooter than PG; Teauge's assists/turnover ratio concerns me about his ability to play PG. But if he turns out to be Mo Williams he would be far from the worst #10 overall pick in the draft.

 

As for the 2nd round - Jermaine Taylor or Dionte Christmas could be that backup SG to develop; Ahmand Nivins could be a bigger Mbah a Moute, and Milan Macvan could be worth taking a flyer on. And the Marquette trio - Matthews might be the best pro but limited upside, McNeal is undersized but brings it on defense, and James has explosiveness.

[patrickgpe]

bucks looking at jeff teague at #10.

[Postseason2006]

I don't want Blake nor James again. Had em once, don't want them twice.

The Bucks are still reeling from Ray Allen robbery along with the Grunfeld era.

[ILuvDaBush]

The more I think about it, the more I think Jrue Holiday is going to be the pick. Like it or not, he fits the mold of what the Bucks want (a point guard with a high ceiling that plays good defense). I still prefer DeRozan but I could behind the Holiday.

[nate82]

The NBA draft is next Thursday and I still haven't heard anything definitive on who the Bucks are looking at taking with their pick. Some mock drafts have Holiday falling to the Bucks and some have Hill dropping to the Bucks. Either of those two players I would be fine with.

[yoshii8]

In Chad Ford's recent mock draft he has us taking Johnny Flynn from Syracuse. I'm kind of hoping we end up getting Psycho T or Blair, I think both will be good players.

[patrickgpe]

Blair is a good need pick that i would not be upset about. If PG is the way we go, I'd go with Holiday. I think our best option would be to bring back sessions and draft Blair though.

[ILuvDaBush]

I think our best option is to have Jrue fall to us. The more I think about Skiles and what he wants out of our team, the more I think we need to finally bring in a point guard who wants to play strong defense. Then behind him, you have the Prince, and behind him you have the Aussie. That's a pretty good line of defense.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

I guess the assistant GM said something on 540 the other day that implied it was very possible the Bucks would not resign either Sessions or Charlie V.

[patrickgpe]

that is a possibility. The team has Jefferson's, Redd's and Gadz's contracts expiring after this next season so depending on what it would take to get Sessions or CV in, the team could have huge cap space going into the 10-11 season.

 

Woeffel was on 1250 and speaking that some player personal people that drafted below the bucks didn't even have Blair in the top 15. I would rather have Sessions than CV back and that means that a PF would be a good pick, but unless Hill falls to 10, I don't see one around.

[davego]

I kind of speculated on that (not bring either back). Really...might be the most prudent plan.

[JJHardy7]

Psycho T

 

I have the feeling that this guy will be one of the players drafted in the 20s or so that GMs will kick themselves for not taking higher. I don't think he'll be an all-star type player, but I do think he's more of a sure bet than a lot of these other guys. To me, he's one of the lowest risk players in the draft. I've seen Utah taking him at #20 in a lot of mocks and I think that'd be a perfect fit. I really wouldn't mind the Bucks trading down and getting a player or conditional pick and taking him.

[yoshii8]

I think Hansborough will go before #20, especially since he measured at good size for an NBA PF and showed good athletic ability in his workouts. I think at the very minimum he will be a solid starter and probably right away. I'm not sure if it would be possible, but I would love to see us trade down a few spots and try to lose some salary while still being able to draft him.

[sargennm]

If you have insider at ESPN, Hollinger's draft rater article is pretty interesting. I won;t post the link or paste the full results because it's a pay site, but Ty Lawson edged out Blake Griffin as the top projected player. If the Bucks are going to go PG in the first round, I hope they are slow-playing everybody and are going to take Lawson. He just struck me as the best player in the NCAA tournament. I know people are down on his size, but he made UNC tick in the touney.

[LouisEly]

I'm not keen on Blair - his weight is a concern and 6'7" is starting to get a little small for a PF. I'm also concerned about his FT% of 60%, and to my knowledge he has not ever taken a 3-point shot (I know he has never made one) so I don't know how good of a player he is from beyond 10 ft, and he'll run into a lot more athletic 6'10"+ guys in the NBA that will eat him up down low. If they go PF the guy I like and my sleeper for the pick is James Johnson of Wake Forest; at 6'8" 257 he still has the bulk to play PF but is much more athletic than Blair, plus he has a higher ft% and hit ~30% on 3-point shots so he has some type of shot from beyond 15 ft. Plus big guys from Wake Forest seem to do well in the NBA.

 

The general consensus among mock drafts is that Holiday won't be there at #10; if they go PG my preference would be Flynn, followed by Lawson and Eric Maynor. I'm concerned about Teague's assist:turnover ratio - to me he seems more like Mo Williams than a real PG, but if he turns out like Mo Williams it would be far from the worst #10 pick in league history.

[Gobias Industries]

I think a lot of people (myself included) didn't think Hansbrough would be a good pro because he's white, and figured he probably wasn't athletic enough to make it in the NBA. But as someone else mentioned, he measured out very good. I think he's about the size of David Lee, who's been very successful, and Hansbrough is probably more talented. I think he'll go between picks 10 and 20.

 

I was high on Blair before this whole draft process, but the reports of his knee surgeries in high school has scared me off from taking him at 10.

 

If we could get Holiday I'd be ecstatic. Derozan somehow falling to 10 would be amazing.

[Mr QL]

I read on RealGM that the Bucks might move up to 5 to get Jordan Hill. Hell freaking no. If they pass on Tyreke Evans, Demar Derozan, Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry and Jonny Flynn for Jordan Hill this franchise may as well move now. Honestly, I'd rather draft Jennings and Holiday over Hill too. Just stand pat at 10. If Hill is there at 10 it's one thing but moving up? Terrible.