Post by cjmjones008 on Jun 11, 2007 17:14:51 GMT -5
The Milwaukee Bucks latest moves can very easily be questioned. Every move has been a step to avoid spending big money in the upcoming years. Each deal has brought picks, upgrades, and expiring contracts to a team that appeared to be on the rise in the Eastern Conference. For a team that was making the first steps of rebuilding these moves would make perfect sense, but the Bucks are in their 4th year of building for a championship not taking steps back. This brought up the question. What is the deal with Milwaukee’s direction?
Last off-season the Bucks traded starting SG Raja Bell for an older and better player in Penny Hardaway. This appeared to be a great move for the Bucks who were expecting to have one of the best shooting backcourts in the league. After a somewhat slow start, the Bucks who had reacquired Bell from the Bulls sent him packing for Miami I a deal for Kenyon Martin. The Bucks looked to have one of the best young cores in the league with Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Martin. The team’s production didn’t increase a great deal but the star talent was obvious.
As the season progressed, it became obvious the Bucks were not in the same class as the top teams in the Eastern Conference. This was one of the most important decisions the team has had in its short history. Make a move to try and become a top team, stay with the current team and hope it matures to a championship team on its own, or take a step back for now but get the pieces to make a big step forward in the future. The safe move was to make a move for Zydrunas Ilgauskas or stick with the current team because GM Jordan Jones job was in jeopardy. However, Jones opted to go with what he saw as a step back to make multiple steps forward. The Bucks could have possibly pulled an upset in the first round of the playoffs but it wasn’t likely. The Bucks were about to make some moves that would shake up not only their team but the league.
The Bucks went on to trade star point guard Stephon Marbury for two promising looking rookies in Jameer Nelson, Andris Biedrins, and two first round draft picks. The Bucks also gained over 8 million in cap relief from the trade. This deal did not hurt the Bucks as much as expect because they did stay as a bottom playoff team in the East.
At the trade deadline, the Bucks essentially traded Hardaway and Othella Harrington for a bunch of career backups, a first round pick, and two upgrades. However, the backups all were expiring contracts. The deal not only gave the Bucks a pick and upgrades but over 20 million in cap relief.
The Bucks now could easily fall from the playoffs, but that was a risk the front office was willing to take because they still owned their 1st round pick for the upcoming draft. Even with the loss of veteran talent, the Bucks didn’t fall off at all. They still hold the six seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and have a 5 game lead with 5 games to play.
The Bucks may not make much of a splash in this years playoffs, but watch for them to in not just future seasons but this years free agency period.
Last off-season the Bucks traded starting SG Raja Bell for an older and better player in Penny Hardaway. This appeared to be a great move for the Bucks who were expecting to have one of the best shooting backcourts in the league. After a somewhat slow start, the Bucks who had reacquired Bell from the Bulls sent him packing for Miami I a deal for Kenyon Martin. The Bucks looked to have one of the best young cores in the league with Stephon Marbury, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Martin. The team’s production didn’t increase a great deal but the star talent was obvious.
As the season progressed, it became obvious the Bucks were not in the same class as the top teams in the Eastern Conference. This was one of the most important decisions the team has had in its short history. Make a move to try and become a top team, stay with the current team and hope it matures to a championship team on its own, or take a step back for now but get the pieces to make a big step forward in the future. The safe move was to make a move for Zydrunas Ilgauskas or stick with the current team because GM Jordan Jones job was in jeopardy. However, Jones opted to go with what he saw as a step back to make multiple steps forward. The Bucks could have possibly pulled an upset in the first round of the playoffs but it wasn’t likely. The Bucks were about to make some moves that would shake up not only their team but the league.
The Bucks went on to trade star point guard Stephon Marbury for two promising looking rookies in Jameer Nelson, Andris Biedrins, and two first round draft picks. The Bucks also gained over 8 million in cap relief from the trade. This deal did not hurt the Bucks as much as expect because they did stay as a bottom playoff team in the East.
At the trade deadline, the Bucks essentially traded Hardaway and Othella Harrington for a bunch of career backups, a first round pick, and two upgrades. However, the backups all were expiring contracts. The deal not only gave the Bucks a pick and upgrades but over 20 million in cap relief.
The Bucks now could easily fall from the playoffs, but that was a risk the front office was willing to take because they still owned their 1st round pick for the upcoming draft. Even with the loss of veteran talent, the Bucks didn’t fall off at all. They still hold the six seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and have a 5 game lead with 5 games to play.
The Bucks may not make much of a splash in this years playoffs, but watch for them to in not just future seasons but this years free agency period.