Bucks News

Officials meet with Childress
"Restricted free agent Josh Childress met with Milwaukee Bucks officials on Thursday for a getting-to-know-you session. Childress and agent Jim Tanner were in Milwaukee for discussions with Bucks general manager John Hammond and other team officials. Childress played last season with Olympiakos in Greece and has until July 15 to decide if he wants to opt out and return to the National Basketball Association. The Atlanta Hawks still hold his league rights and could match any offer made by another team. The 26-year-old Childress left Atlanta on difficult terms last summer, however, when he signed a three-year, $20 million deal with Olympiakos. It is possible he could sign an offer sheet with ..."
Officials meet with Childress
"Restricted free agent Josh Childress met with Milwaukee Bucks officials on Thursday for a getting-to-know-you session. Childress and agent Jim Tanner were in Milwaukee for discussions with Bucks general manager John Hammond and other team officials. Childress played last season with Olympiakos in Greece and has until July 15 to decide if he wants to opt out and return to the National Basketball Association. The Atlanta Hawks still hold his league rights and could match any offer made by another team. The 26-year-old Childress left Atlanta on difficult terms last summer, however, when he signed a three-year, $20 million deal with Olympiakos. It is possible he could sign an offer sheet with ..."
Childress in play?
"From Athens to Milwaukee and back to Atlanta, the name Josh Childress is being tossed around in every direction these days. Childress is in Milwaukee today visiting the Bucks with his agent, Jim Tanner. What that means for the Hawks is that they might get a do-over with Childress, a restricted free agent again this summer as he was last summer. Last summer they lost him as an asset when he chose to sign with Greek power Olympiakos (for $20 million post taxes). What the Hawks didn't lose was the right of first refusal on Childress if he decided to return to the NBA this summer. And two of my spies have made it clear that were Childress to receive any sort of "reasonable" NBA offer (the $5.8 ..."
Bucks GM Hammond shows he wants to keep Sessions
"Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond reached out with a phone call to point guard Ramon Sessions immediately when the free agency period opened late Tuesday night (11:01 p.m. Milwaukee time). It appears the Bucks are seriously interested in retaining Sessions, although Hammond did not reveal if he made a multiyear offer in excess of the $1 million qualifying offer made earlier by the team. Free agents are now eligible to negotiate with National Basketball Association teams but cannot sign contracts until Wednesday. The 6-foot-3 Sessions is a restricted free agent, and the Bucks will have the right to match offers made by other teams. He appeared in 79 games last season and averaged ..."
Tale of tape on draft pick
"However the taped phone conversation between Milwaukee Bucks draft pick Brandon Jennings and rapper Joe Budden came to be posted on the Web, it's not the kind of hello world moment you would choose to begin your National Basketball Association career. In the exchange, Jennings repeatedly uses the n-word, says the Bucks will not re-sign Ramon Sessions, asserts that Luke Ridnour will be his backup (but later says he doesn't know), believes ESPN's Jay Bilas was "hatin' on" him on draft night, thinks he made the best draft night appearance and was the best dressed of all players who made it to the stage at Madison Square Garden, contends Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio is overrated and wishes ..."
Jennings shows potential - or at least candor
"When Brandon Jennings' Twitter account evaporated sometime Monday afternoon, he (or his handlers) folded. To stay within the tight confines of acceptable pro-athlete behavior, the rookie guard's public persona needed some pruning. Somehow, we suspect that everything will grow back soon, including the Twitter account. Away from the ball, Jennings has shown some potential to be another Charles Barkley, a remorselessly genuine personality whose indiscretions eventually matured into the deepest, rawest wit in sports. Jennings already has a) turned up a few picks late to shake hands with Commissioner David Stern on stage at the draft, b) gone on camera and called Spanish prospect Ricky Rubio ..."
Villanueva won't be back
"The Milwaukee Bucks bid goodbye to Charlie Villanueva on Monday, keeping their fiscal options open while continuing to rebuild the team during the off-season. General manager John Hammond said no qualifying offer would be tendered to Villanueva, who played the last three seasons with Milwaukee after arriving in a June 2006 trade. Hammond did not want to elaborate on the reasons for the decision. The Bucks had to make a $4.6 million qualifying offer by the Tuesday deadline if they wished to retain the 6-foot-11 forward's rights. The 24-year-old Villanueva will become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday and will be able to sign a contract with any NBA team, beginning July 8. Hammond said ..."
No qualifying offer for Villanueva
"Bucks general manager John Hammond confirmed Monday that Charlie Villanueva would not receive a $4.6 million qualifying offer by the Tuesday deadline. The Bucks' decision means Villanueva will be an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any NBA team beginning July 8. Teams may begin negotiating with free agents on Wednesday. Hammond said the team has made qualifying offers to restricted free agents Ramon Sessions and Ersan Ilyasova. That allows the Bucks to match any offers made to them by other NBA clubs. The Bucks were part of a three-team trade last week that helped the team's precarious luxury tax situation, as Richard Jefferson was sent to San Antonio in return for expiring ..."
Young forward shows promise
"Finding a power forward in the draft would have been delightful for the Milwaukee Bucks. Instead, the Bucks filled a big need at point guard with Brandon Jennings at the No. 10 pick and grabbed shooting guard Jodie Meeks from Kentucky in the second round. But Bucks general manager John Hammond did snare a promising power forward last week, when he acquired 22-year-old Amir Johnson from Detroit as part of the three-team deal that sent Richard Jefferson to San Antonio. Johnson has one year and $3.66 million left on the three-year, $10.8 million contract he signed in the summer of 2007. "It's a new start for me," Johnson said. "I felt like I got drafted coming here. I'm ready to get out there ..."
Bucks were smart to take a chance on Jennings
"There was one overriding factor in Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond's decision to take 19-year-old point guard Brandon Jennings in the first round of last week's NBA draft. Despite the unknowns surrounding Jennings after he skipped college and rode the bench in Italy for a year, Hammond is convinced the quicker-than-quick former prep scoring machine has a chance to become a special player in the NBA. As we shall see, that was sound thinking on Hammond's part because it takes a special player - or players - to win an NBA championship and right now the Bucks don't have one. Guard Michael Redd is a premier scorer and center Andrew Bogut is a solid all-around player when healthy, ..."
Moving and shaking
"The Milwaukee Bucks are back in the game. In a manner of speaking, anyway. In a busy week centering around the NBA draft, the Bucks began to reshape their roster by adding five players, established some much-needed financial flexibility and found that their phones are ringing once again. That's a good thing, since it means they have created options they can explore to further mold their team for next season. "The key word is 'options,' " said coach Scott Skiles. "We have options and opportunities. Any options that we have, we'll look at them now. When you gain the ability to have some options, the phone starts ringing a little bit." Said general manager John Hammond, "People know that we ..."
Ready to make a splash
"Brandon Jennings wants to make a splash in the National Basketball Association. And he thinks he has found a point guard to emulate, somebody who has already won an NBA championship and just finished his third season in the league. That's Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, a player with a similar build to that of the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Jennings. "I like what he did in the playoffs this year," Jennings said. "I think he proved to people he can really play, and the way he was running the team was awesome." Of course, the guy Rondo matched up against in the first round of the playoffs wouldn't be a bad one to emulate, either. That was NBA rookie of the year Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. ..."
Bucks gamble on future assets
"The Milwaukee Bucks are walking a fine line these days. They insist they're playing for the present, yet every move they make reveals a team trying to set itself up for the future. Never was that more apparent than this week. Tuesday, the Bucks traded high-scoring small forward Richard Jefferson to San Antonio for what general manager John Hammond called "assets." In this case, the assets consisted of expiring contracts that Hammond hopes will give the Bucks salary-cap flexibility and roster options in the future. Thursday night, the Bucks acquired another asset that had "future" written all over it when they selected 19-year-old point guard Brandon Jennings in the first round of the NBA ..."
Jennings points the way for Bucks
"Scott Skiles was a smart and tough point guard who made up for limited athleticism with his knowledge of the game, which led him to become an NBA coach. Nobody would have described him as "flashy." In his second draft as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Skiles selected a point guard who might be the antithesis of him as a player. Brandon Jennings, who the Bucks took in the first round of the NBA draft Thursday with the 10th overall pick, is a flashy highlight-reel type of player, who garnered considerable attention when he skipped college and elected to play in Europe last season. With the 41st overall pick in the second round, the Bucks selected Kentucky shooting guard Jodie Meeks. "I'm ..."
Eager to prove his point
"At the ripe young age of 19, guard Brandon Jennings has already been around the block a few times. Has he ever. The trail-blazing Jennings toured Europe playing professional basketball last season, eventually found his way to the Madison Square Garden stage Thursday for the National Basketball Association's college draft, and now has Milwaukee, and possibly Green Bay, written in as the next stops on his itinerary. Jennings, a 6-foot-1 guard from Compton, Calif., and a former national high school player of the year, was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick in the draft and immediately becomes one of the major building blocks on which coach Scott Skiles and general ..."
Jennings is Bucks' pick at the point
"It appeared all along the Bucks had zeroed in on a point guard in the NBA draft. And it proved true tonight when Milwaukee chose 19-year-old Brandon Jennings with the 10th overall pick. Jennings, who skipped a freshman year in college to play professionally in Italy, saw his gamble pay off when the Bucks made the move to select him. Jonny Flynn went sixth overall to Minnesota, and point guards Ricky Rubio and Stephen Curry also were selected ahead of Jennings. The Bucks liked the athletic ability of the 6-foot-1 Jennings and also were impressed with his decision to play for Lottomatica Roma, even though he didn't receive consistent playing time. Jennings averaged 5.5 points and 2.3 assists ..."
Stackhouse to the Bucks?
"Keep an eye on swingman Jerry Stackhouse of the Dallas Mavericks as the hours tick down to Thursday night's college draft. The Mavericks are talking up Stackhouse and his favorable contract as trade bait and the Bucks are said to be one of the teams that are listening. Stackhouse's contract is worth $7 million next season but it can be bought out for $2 million which mean a considerable savings for any team that might want to trade for him and go that route. It's very similar to the contract of Bruce Bowen who was obtained by the Bucks in the trade for Richard Jefferson. Bowen is to make $4 million next season but only half of that deal is guaranteed. If the Bucks are confident that they ..."
Jennings Sliding?
"As the candidates woke to draft day, the player sliding out of the lottery appeared to be point guard Brandon Jennings, who bypassed his freshman year of college in order to spend last season with the Euroleague club Lottomatica Rome of Italy. By my count, the only top-10 teams considering Jennings are the Knicks at No. 8 and the Bucks at No. 10, and Jennings is unlikely to go to either of them unless one or more trades change the order of the draft. The smart move would be to take Jennings out of the green room, but Jennings and agent Bill Duffy had yet to meet as of Thursday morning. I'm sure Duffy will remind Jennings that the order of the draft is meaningless; what matters is that he ..."
Bucks keeping options open
"Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles contends that Tuesday's three-team trade that sent forward Richard Jefferson to San Antonio will not affect the team's approach or strategy in Thursday's night's NBA draft. Even so, the deal that brought forwards Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Amir Johnson to Milwaukee has altered the Bucks' needs for next season and could have some bearing on how the team uses its first-round pick (10th overall) and second-round selection (41st overall). Skiles' view on how the trade will affect the Bucks in the draft? "I don't think it does," he said. "We're going to try and get a very good player, the best player we can at 10, and the best player we can at 41, and see ..."
Bucks high on point guards
"When Billy McKinney entered the NBA as a sixth-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns in 1977, point guards were not viewed with as much esteem as they are these days. "It's funny how the perspective of it has changed since I played," said McKinney, who is now the director of scouting with the Milwaukee Bucks. "When I first came in the league, they said point guards are a dime a dozen. "Now, every team is saying, if you want to be good - and you see it at the college level, high school level, NBA level - if you don't have a good point guard, your chances of winning, advancing, being a good team consistently, or a great team, are very limited." The Bucks have had a revolving door at point ..."
Bucks GM Hammond gets lots of advice
"Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond stopped for his cup of Starbucks coffee recently when he bumped into a former champion. Brewers infielder Craig Counsell, who won two World Series titles in Arizona and Florida and has spent two different stints in Milwaukee, had a little advice. "He was like, 'It took us time to get where we're at right now,"' Hammond recalled. "I wasn't here, reading what I've read about the Brewers and the direction that they made their moves and built their teams, they had a process." Just as baseball's Brewers did in recent years, Hammond and the Bucks are going through the process of getting younger, better and more financially sound right now. And that ..."
Draft and Trade Buzz
"As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare to make a push for Memphis' pick at No. 2, it's become clear that they won't package the fifth and sixth picks to get there. The Wolves have made it clear to teams that are trying to pry their 18th pick that it isn't available. They want to use that in combination with one of the two higher picks to make a deal with Memphis. … The Utah Jazz are enamored with University of Pittsburgh tough guy Sam Young at No. 20, who is a perfect fit for head coach Jerry Sloan. … Golden State has long been enamored with Brandon Jennings at No. 7, but league sources say the Warriors are considering Wake Forest forward James Johnson there as well. Few teams would have ..."
Pistons deal Amir Johnson to Bucks for Fabricio Oberto
"The Pistons traded power forward Amir Johnson to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday in a three-team deal that brought center Fabricio Oberto to Detroit from the San Antonio Spurs. Veterans Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas went from San Antonio to Milwaukee, and Richard Jefferson went from the Bucks to the Spurs. Oberto has one year at $3.5 million left on his contract. The Pistons are expected to buy out the remaining season, which would clear $1.7 million in cap space. This would add to the estimated $20 million the Pistons already had in cap space to spend on free agents this summer. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound Johnson, 22, was a second-round pick of the Pistons in 2005. He averaged 3.5 points and ..."
Pistons pull plug on Amir Johnson project, trade him to Bucks
"The Pistons have pulled the plug on the Amir Johnson project after four mostly frustrating seasons. The Pistons confirmed Tuesday night they have sent the power forward to Milwaukee, as part of a three-way deal with the Bucks and San Antonio. The Pistons got four-year veteran forward Fabricio Oberto in the deal. But the Pistons' plan is to waive Oberto and gain nearly another $2 million is salary cap space. They now expect to have at least $19 million available to spend this summer. The Bucks sent Richard Jefferson to the Spurs in the main part of the deal, for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Oberto. The Bucks then moved Oberto to the Pistons for Johnson. "Amir is still a talented young ..."
Bowen says San Antonio will always be home
"Before Bruce Bowen arrived in San Antonio in the summer of 2001, signed by the Spurs as a free agent, he had played professionally in France, Rockford, Fort Wayne, Ind., then had stints in the NBA with the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. No wonder, then, that a few hours after learning the Spurs had traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, Bowen declared his intent to remain a San Antonian. "This is home for us, and we've said this time and time before," Bowen said at a brief news conference in the foyer of Yardley's Salon and Spa, the business he and his wife, Yardley, opened in 2008. "I wouldn't do something like this (business) and then turn around and leave as ..."
Spurs are getting Bucks' Jefferson
"I'd thank Bruce Bowen and tell him to come back someday. Bring your No. 12, I'd tell him. We might want to display it with a few other numbers. I'd want Fab Oberto to know how much he meant in 2007, and I'd tell Kurt Thomas he was unlucky. He twice missed playing with a healthy Manu Ginobili in the playoffs. Then I'd do this deal - after a quick call to Tim Duncan for approval - because Richard Jefferson is worth this and more. But that's easy for me to say, since I won't be paying millions in luxury tax. Peter Holt will - to the surprise of many. This goes against the trend. When Holt isn't looking for the public to build him an ice rink, he's wanting a few more million for AT"
Spurs trade three for one
"During each of the past few offseasons, a growing segment of the Spurs fan base has been asking for the team to get younger and more athletic. On Tuesday, the Spurs answered. In a move meant to jimmy open Tim Duncan's championship window just a few more inches, the Spurs obtained swingman Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee as part of a three-team deal that sent longtime defensive whiz Bruce Bowen and forward Kurt Thomas to the Bucks and landed center-forward Fabricio Oberto in Detroit from Milwaukee. In doing so, the Spurs swapped three of their oldest players for a proven NBA scorer who just celebrated his 29th birthday Sunday. "He's an athlete," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said, ..."
Bucks must pass on Blair
"Several Web sites have predicted that the Milwaukee Bucks will take Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair in the first round of the NBA draft. And why shouldn't that be a possibility? The Bucks' decision-makers were impressed with the burly power forward when he worked out for them and admitted they were likely to choose between a point guard and a power forward with the No. 10 pick overall. But though Blair is one of several possibilities for the Bucks in Thursday's draft, my reaction upon hearing reports that he could land in Milwaukee was always the same: No, no, a thousand times no. Nothing against Blair, one of college basketball's most productive big men last season, but there is a scarlet flag ..."
Flexible benefits
"The newest makeover of the Milwaukee Bucks began in earnest on Tuesday when general manager John Hammond dealt 29-year-old forward Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a three-team deal to achieve some needed financial flexibility for the franchise. Jefferson, acquired in a draft-day deal by Hammond last June, was sent to the Spurs in exchange for 38-year-old forward Bruce Bowen and veteran forward Kurt Thomas, and the Bucks also obtained forward Amir Johnson from Detroit while the Spurs sent forward-center Fabricio Oberto to the Pistons. The deal took nearly all day to complete, finally becoming official around 9 p.m. The move will result in some financial flexibility for ..."
Report: Pistons deal Amir Johnson to Bucks for expiring contract
"The Pistons have traded power forward Amir Johnson to Milwaukee for center Fabricio Oberto, who was acquired by the Bucks from the Spurs earlier today, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Oberto's contract expires next week, meaning the Pistons basically traded Johnson for salary-cap space if the report is true. The Bucks' general manager is John Hammond, formerly Pistons president Joe Dumars' right-hand man. A "high-ranking Bucks source" told the Journal Sentinel about the Johnson trade. The 22-year-old Johnson, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward, was a second-round pick of the Pistons in 2005. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 62 games last season."
Spurs trade Bowen, Thomas and Oberto for Richard Jefferson
"The Spurs are nearing completion of a trade that will send veterans Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto and Kurt Thomas to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for athletic, 29-year-old small forward Richard Jefferson, NBA executives from both the Eastern and Western conferences have told the Express-News. Jefferson averaged 19.6 points per game in 2008-09, his first season with the Bucks after seven with the New Jersey Nets. He started in all 82 of the Bucks' games last season, making 43.9 percent of his shots, 39.7 from 3-point range. He also averaged 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Bowen, 37, has been with the Spurs since 2001. A defensive standout at small forward, he started every game for six ..."
Bucks deal Jefferson to Spurs
"The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto a Bucks source told ESPN.com. The two teams have agreed to the deal in principle. A trade call to make the deal official is coming later Tuesday. The move gives the Spurs a dynamic wing scorer to play alongside Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Spurs had promised to make their team better this summer and adding Jefferson for role players should give them a huge shot in the arm. The Bucks incentive to make the trade is largely financial. Bowen, Oberto and Thomas are all in the last year of their contracts. The deal will clear $15 million off the books ..."
Spurs discuss trade for Bucks' Jefferson
"The San Antonio Spurs are in serious discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks for forward Richard Jefferson, league executives told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday. The proposed deal would have the Spurs send send veterans Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto to the Bucks, who are looking to shed the remaining two years, $29.2 million on Jefferson's contract for the Spurs' expiring contracts. The deal isn't completed, but league executives say both teams appear motivated to get it done."
Mbah a Moute among those picking Flynn at 10
"A few observers have the Milwaukee Bucks taking Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn when it comes their turn at No. 10 overall Thursday night during the National Basketball Association draft. One of those observers is Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who chose for his team in a mock draft conducted by ESPN the Magazine. "He's a very good point guard with athleticism, toughness and leadership qualities. Remember the Big East tournament?" Mbah a Moute told the magazine, referring to Flynn. But ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said during a telephone conference call Monday that Flynn wouldn't be available to the Bucks. "I think he will be gone by 10 when Milwaukee picks," Bilas said. "Although he ..."
Potential intrigue
"Jordan Hill figures his best basketball is yet to come. At age 21, he's a relative neophyte to the sport, after concentrating on baseball in his youth. But the dreadlocked power forward made up for lost time in his last two years at Arizona, when his talent on the basketball court became quite evident. On Thursday night, the 6-foot-10 Hill will see just how high his uncharted path has taken him when he is selected in the National Basketball Association draft. It could land him a spot with the Milwaukee Bucks, who have the 10th overall pick, but many draft experts think he won't still be on the board. "Milwaukee definitely is a good fit for me, and I think I could come in and make a huge ..."
Managing assets key to Bucks' future
"The debate over whether the Milwaukee Bucks should draft a point guard or a power forward is entertaining, but it misses the point on what the franchise must do. Beginning Thursday night and for however long it takes the Bucks to dig out from under their untenable payroll, they've got to get into the asset allocation business. That means acquiring young talent, regardless of position, with manageable contracts that will be valuable to the Bucks or to someone else. That's the only way to move up in the NBA. Want to take a practical lesson from the Los Angeles Lakers? Their path to greatness began in 1996, when on draft night they had an asset (a young Vlade Divac) they could send to ..."
Not tied into specific position
"Take the "best player available." It's a cliché, yes, but one that best applies to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2009 National Basketball Association draft next week. The Bucks' biggest needs for next season will be at point guard and power forward. Even so, general manager John Hammond emphasized that - barring a trade - when it came time for the team to exercise its 10th pick in the first round on Thursday, the Bucks would choose the player rated highest on their draft board regardless of position. "We'll take the best player, in our eyes," Hammond said at a draft-related news conference Thursday at the team's Cousins Center practice facility. "We're not married to a position to that ..."
Skiles said team could learn from NBA champs
"It was a long and arduous road to the National Basketball Association championship for the Los Angeles Lakers. Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles hopes his players noticed. After winding their way through the regular season and finishing with the best record in the Western Conference at 65-17, the Lakers had to fend off challenges in the playoffs from Utah, Houston - in seven games - and Denver before dispatching the Orlando Magic in five games in the Finals to be crowned champions. To Skiles, watching the playoffs from the sideline offered a reminder of just how hard it is to win in the postseason, which is something he wants his players to keep in mind as the team's building process ..."
First pick clear, rest cloudy
"The National Basketball Association college draft is only a week and a half away so the order of selection in the first round should be coming a bit more into focus. That, however, does not appear to be the case. The only thing that seems certain is that on June 25, Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin will be taken with the first pick that is currently held by the Los Angeles Clippers. The Memphis Grizzlies have the second pick and that's where the uncertainty begins that carries all the way down to the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 10 and beyond. "It's a hodgepodge from two until after us," said Dave Babcock, the Bucks' director of player personnel. "I don't know. It could go a lot of different ways. ..."
Bucks have to make power-point decision
"Point guard or power forward? "That is one of the great decisions we have to make," Milwaukee Bucks scouting director Billy McKinney said Thursday. The Bucks have plenty of questions to sort through in the days leading up to the National Basketball Association draft on June 25 and the most prominent might be whether to bolster their roster at the point-guard position or at power forward. And unless the answers become clear in the next couple of weeks, that could turn out to be a difficult decision. "Your first rule of thumb is (you take the) best player on the board," said Dave Babcock, the Bucks' director of player personnel. "The next step is, if you view two or three players equally, ..."
Bucks want to tread lightly with Bogut
"Fragile. Handle with care. That tag could be applied to Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, at least for the moment. It's a label he hopes to shed, but first he has to be cautious about his recovery from a stress fracture in his lower back. The 7-foot Bogut returned to Milwaukee earlier this week after a 20-hour flight from Singapore via Japan, and he made an appearance Thursday at a Bucks season-ticket holders event outside Miller Park. "A month from this week should be the goal," Bogut said of returning to the basketball court and running again. "I'm doing some light shooting, no moving or real jumping, just some technique stuff. "You don't want to overdo it now; it's only June. I want ..."
Holiday, three other possible draft picks work out
"Jrue Holiday matched up against Eric Maynor Tuesday before jetting off to New York to square off with the likes of Stephen Curry. When it comes to point guards in the upcoming NBA draft, Holiday is on everyone's list, but forgive him if he's not paying attention. "I really don't look at the hype and all that," said Holiday, who will work out for the Knicks on Wednesday. "Any given day, the best player can have a bad workout." Holiday's bad workout came on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3 guard from UCLA was impressive on defense, but felt he missed numerous shots and wasn't sharp against the likes of Maynor (Virginia Commonwealth), Jerel McNeal (Marquette) and Greivis Vasquez (Maryland). Milwaukee, ..."
Anxiously awaiting his shot
"Jerel McNeal is making a whirlwind tour of National Basketball Association cities, showing his skills in one workout after another. On Tuesday, the former Marquette University star was in familiar territory as he returned to Milwaukee as part of a six-player workout held by the Bucks. It was the 6-foot-3 guard's ninth workout, and although reviews from Bucks officials were highly favorable, he admitted his anxiety level remained high. That's because he still has no idea where he will end up in the June 25 NBA draft. "I wish I had an answer for people," McNeal said after the morning session at the Cousins Center. "It's somewhat of a stressful time, especially for guys in my position. You ..."
Poor draft grade for Bucks
"The Milwaukee Bucks rank 17th among 30 National Basketball Association teams in the effectiveness of their drafts over the last 20 years, according to a statistical study done by ESPN Insider. The Bucks are one of three teams assigned a letter grade of C-minus for their drafts. Orlando and Minnesota also received C-minus grades. Key to the evaluation is a metric called estimated wins added, which compares the production of a team's pick with what that pick typically generates. For example, center Andrew Bogut has a career EWA of 5.4, a solid number in this system, but No. 1 overall picks have expected EWAs of 7.8, so Milwaukee's number suffers as a result. San Antonio is deemed the best ..."
Hoping history repeats
"It's not the kind of shot that UCLA swingman Josh Shipp, or any basketball player for that matter, would forget easily. Shipp, teammate Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and the rest of the Bruins were trailing by one point in the closing seconds of a game against California in 2008 and were inbounding the ball from under their own basket. The ball went on the wing to the 6-foot-5 Shipp, who drove baseline and found himself behind the backboard. He hoisted a rainbow shot that went up over the backboard and fell through with 1.5 seconds left, giving UCLA an 81-80 victory. Shipp, who averaged 14.5 points as a senior last season, reminisced about the shot after going through a pre-draft workout with ..."
Despite poor economy, NBA will not eliminate luxury tax
"Although several teams have taken a hit financially, NBA Commissioner David Stern said Thursday the league has no plans to eliminate the luxury tax until the economy recovers. With his team's player payroll projected to exceed $76 million, Hornets owner George Shinn could have to pay a luxury tax bill of more than $5 million next summer. The Hornets were one of the 12 teams that received loans from the league this spring. Since 2003, 17 of the league's 30 teams have borrowed $2 billion since the league began establishing a line of credit for loans used by teams. "There's a difference between choosing to and having a need to," Stern said at state of his league address before Thursday's ..."
Charlie V likes thought of joining LeBron
"Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva made the rounds at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., on Wednesday, taking part in the morning First Take program, doing a chat with ESPN Deportes and also speaking with interviewer Freddie Coleman on the Tirico & Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio. It's clear that Villanueva is well aware of the Bucks' difficulties in trying to re-sign him this summer, when he will be a restricted free agent. It's possible the Bucks won't even be able to make a one-year qualifying offer of $4.6 million, which they are required to do by June 30 if they want to retain the right to match offers by other clubs. Bucks general manager John Hammond has stated the team will not exceed ..."
Harris quits after 50 years of coaching
"Del Harris wasn't sure about this coaching thing. He wanted to be a minister, or so he thought. But Harris started out coaching the seventh- and eighth-grade boys and girls at King Springs Elementary School in Johnson City, Tenn., in 1959. That's where he caught the coaching bug, and he caught it good. "We scored over 100 points four times, playing 6-minute quarters," Harris recalled. "I said, 'Maybe this is a better plan for me.' After 50 years, it probably was the right thing." Harris, former head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, officially announced his retirement Tuesday to complete 50 years of coaching at all levels, including the National ..."
Blair could bolster low post
"DeJuan Blair believes it's his time to play in the pros. So the Pittsburgh sophomore tossed aside his fast-food habits and lost 40 pounds in the last three weeks - 40 pounds - and weighed in at 275 on Thursday at the National Basketball Association draft combine. He also measured 6-foot-6½, which could cause teams some concern about playing him as an undersized power forward. But he has a 7-foot, 2-inch wingspan and a work ethic that league scouts and general managers love. So it's no surprise the Milwaukee Bucks have more than a passing interest in Blair, who could fill a major need at the power forward spot and might be available when the Bucks' No. 10 slot comes up June 25. It seems ..."
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