reflections
October 8th, 2007 Milwaukee Bucks Season Preview

Milwaukee Bucks

2006-07 record: 28-54 Last in the Central

Added: Royal Ivey, Yi Jianlian, Desmond Mason, Michael Ruffin, Ramon Sessions, Awvee Storey, Jake Voskuhl, Samaki Walker

Lost: Earl Boykins, Ersan Ilyasova, Damir Markota, Ruben Patterson, Jared Reiner, Brian Skinner

PG: Maurice Williams, Lynn Greer, Ramon Sessions

SG: Michael Redd, Charlie Bell, Royal Ivey, Awvee Storey

SF: Desmond Mason, Bobby Simmons, David Noel

PF: Charlie Villanueva, Yi Jianlian, Michael Ruffin, Samaki Walker

C: Andrew Bogut, Dan Gadzuric, Jake Voskuhl

Overview:

A team that couldn’t stop anyone, couldn’t rebound, and as a team blocked fewer shots per game than Marcus Camby or Josh Smith apparently did not feel the need to address any of those issues. They re-signed Maurice Williams and brought back Desmond Mason, but who is going to grab a rebound or block a shot? They missed Jamaal Magloire last year more than Jamaal Magloire should ever be missed by anyone. Dan Gadzuric is their best rebounder and shot blocker, but they can’t play him as much as they need to because of their investment in Andrew Bogut. I like Bogut, he is on the list of twenty or so big men who would be so incredibly perfect for the Bulls, but he is a terrible fit with this team. Bogut should be the second option offensively for the Bucks, but he was getting less shots than Charlie Bell. If they aren’t going to give him the ball, then he really doesn’t do the team any good.

In the draft, the Bucks pulled a stunner and picked Yi. Even his handlers in China feel the Bucks already had too many similar players. What is scary is that they are right. If Yi develops into everything the Bucks and NBA hopes he will be, then he is just another Charlie Villanueva. They already have Charlie Villanueva, and while they missed him when he battled a couple of injuries last year, they don’t need another version of him. If the Bucks are guaranteeing him 20-25 minutes a night, just a rumor, then they are killing their season. He is a project. His summer league performance was miserable. He averaged 7 fouls, had close to 5 turnovers per game, and shot a whopping 25 percent from the floor.

All in all, this is a franchise that is a mess. They killed themselves when they gave up T.J. Ford and then barely used Steve Blake (before giving him to Denver). It stuns me how a team can attempt play an up-tempo, run-and-gun style without a quick, pass-first point guard? Maurice Williams is the only player who can create opportunities for his teammates. They have plenty of scorers. They have a player in Michael Redd who may be the most underappreciated player in the NBA. Desmond Mason is a great scorer. If Bobby Simmons and Charlie Villanueva come back from their injuries, they will add even more firepower, but I’m not confident that Maurice Williams can be the sole creator on this team if they are to improve on last season’s 28-win mark.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »