Bucks GM On Season, Antetokounmpo, Drew
Bucks GM John Hammond participated in a Q&A with the Journal Sentinel and gave his thoughts on the current state of the team. You can find some of his more notable responses below:
On the team’s league-worst record and having to rely on young players:
“We didn’t expect (Carlos Delfino) to potentially be missing the entire season. We didn’t expect Brandon Knight in the very first game, in the first 2 minutes of the game, to go out for an extended period. We didn’t expect (Zaza Pachulia) to have the injuries. We didn’t expect (Ersan Ilyasova) to be hurt. The Larry Sanders issue, Larry being out. We’ve had 10 players, and that leads the league, in games missed. A lot of it has to do with the injury issues.
(Relying on young guys) wasn’t the plan. Sometimes you are forced to change in midstream, so to speak. That’s kind of what happened to us. We’ve put the young players out there. We’re excited about their progress. The most important thing is they continue to improve now as the season progresses.”
“We’re really excited. We talked before the season started that we wanted to expose him (to the league) but not overexpose him. We didn’t want him to lose confidence and have those around him lose confidence in him. Nearing the end of the exhibition season we looked at our stats and realized he was one of our leading scorers, he was one of our leading rebounders. He was our leading shot blocker. He was leading us in free throws attempted. Just little things like that, we started thinking to ourselves, is he even more ready than we realize? Even with that being said, we probably didn’t envision this happening. I know it’s a great opportunity for Giannis and it could be the right thing for our organization. There have been some ups and downs, and they’re probably going to continue. But there’s no greater teacher than actually getting the time on the floor. We feel very good we picked him at 15. I think he’s potentially a keeper piece and a piece you can build with.”
On Larry Drew‘s performance as the head coach so far:
“I think Larry has done the best job he can do in a very difficult situation. When Larry came here as coach, we didn’t hire him and say, “Oh, by the way, we’re going to go through this rebuilding process.” Our hope was to have a competitive team, a playoff team. We made some moves in the off-season and we included Larry in those decisions. Signing Carlos, signing Zaza, signing O.J. Mayo, trading for (Luke Ridnour) and (Caron Butler), you make those moves because you’re trying to put a competitive team on the floor. That was the plan going into the season. It’s easy for me to sit here and talk about changing in midstream but very difficult for the coach when he’s on the floor facing it every night. I think he’s done an excellent job in a very difficult situation.”
On how the situations of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings turned out in addition to dealing for Knight:
“Monta was unrestricted so (leaving) was his decision. Brandon was restricted (free agent). We had a decision to make there, to bring him back, to extend him, to have him come back and play the final year, or try to find an opportunity for ourselves we think could help us. And we made the move with Detroit and acquired Brandon Knight. Brandon has been very good for us. And I’m happy for Brandon Jennings. He’s playing well in Detroit. (Knight) is a man of outstanding character, an extremely hard worker. He’s still a young player, only 22 years old. I think he’s got plenty of time to continue to develop and grow as a player.”
On some veterans recently voicing their frustration and whether or not it’s a cause for concern:
Look, I understand. I understand completely. You have guys nearing the end of their careers and they want to continue to play. You have other guys at the midpoint of their careers and they want to keep their value at a certain level. I hate the fact that some of them are going through that. But we’re not the only team in the league with these sorts of situations. It happens. It is important to have guys who want to be here and understand the process we’re going through. For the most part this season, I think the veterans, even though frustrated, have been supportive through the process.
Odds & Ends: Butler, Woodson, LeBron
Last week, Caron Butler seemed to vent a little frustration about his role in Milwaukee after he was removed from the starting lineup recently in favor of giving more minutes to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, telling reporters:
“The information I received before coming here is that ‘You’re going to play a lot…And I want to play. I want to be out there to help the situation.”
Since then, Butler appears to have changed tune and reiterated that he wants to stay in Milwaukee, personally taking team owner Herb Kohl aside to let him know how much he values being a part of the Bucks organization:
“I had a moment with Sen. Kohl after the game because I really wanted to talk to him and express to him how excited I am to be here…I want to be here in Milwaukee and I want to be part of the process…This is home to me. I want to help these guys develop” (Gery Woelfel of JournalTimes.com). Woelfel adds that Butler also held similar discussions with GM John Hammond and head coach Larry Drew, whom Butler reportedly has a “healthy rapport with.”
Here’s more from around the Association tonight:
- Despite a disastrous season and questions of Carmelo Anthony‘s long-term future in New York as the Knicks continue to struggle, head coach Mike Woodson doesn’t think Anthony would request a trade by the February deadline: “Melo I think is on board. I know he’s on board…He’s going to be there to the bitter end if it’s a bitter end. But right now he’s going to be there. I trust he’s going to stay there. we got to make sure everybody else is on board’’ (Marc Berman of the New York Post).
- Heat superstar LeBron James thinks it’s too early to say whether or not he’ll play when Team USA participates in the 2016 Olympics: “I don’t know where I stand for 2016…Obviously, if I’m healthy in 2016 that summer, if I can get to leading our country by playing, then that would be great to be a part of that…But I can’t commit to it right now” (Charlie McCarthy of FOX Sports Florida).
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times thinks the Bulls may be better off without Luol Deng and explains why the reverse isn’t necessarily true. Cowley thinks Deng would prioritize a shot at a title rather than playing tutor on a young Cavaliers team, and that head coach Mike Brown has already shown signs of not knowing how to use the 28-year-old forward.
- Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press thinks of Dwight Howard‘s snub from starting the All-Star game this year as proof of how much damage he’s done to his reputation over the last few years and that there’s rebuilding to be done (Twitter link).
- According to Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee, the Kings have finalized a deal to buy Downtown Plaza from JMA, a San Francisco-based firm that had purchased the mall back in 2012. The Kings and the city of Sacramento plan to use the site to construct a new $448MM arena.
Ford’s Latest: Bucks, Wiggins, Sixers
Chad Ford of ESPN.com unveiled his latest Insider-only mock draft today, and it has the Bucks taking Joel Embiid first overall. Much could change over the more than five months between now and draft night, of course, and recent reports suggest Embiid and fellow top prospect Jabari Parker might not be available. There are plenty of significant developments going on that will affect what happens when soon-to-be commissioner Adam Silver steps to the podium on June 26th. Here’s the latest, culled from Ford’s mock and his weekly chat:
- The Bucks, who have the best shot at the No. 1 overall pick, probably won’t pull off a major trade at the deadline, sources tell Ford.
- There are a few GMs who don’t consider Andrew Wiggins a top-three prospect, but all of those executives are habitually risk-averse, according to Ford.
- The Sixers have Wiggins and Parker at Nos. 1 and 2 on their board, Ford writes.
- Ford figures that Parker’s Mormon faith makes it much less likely he’d leave Utah as a free agent if the Jazz were to draft him, increasing the likelihood that the Jazz would take him No. 1 overall if they have the chance.
‘Serious Suitors’ Interested In Buying Bucks
Four “serious suitors” would be willing to negotiate with Bucks owner Herb Kohl about buying the team, reports Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Kohl said last month that he’s seeking partners to share the ownership of the club, but the 78-year-old insisted then that he “isn’t going anywhere,” in spite of years of rumors that he’d give up the team.
One of the suitors is a group of five or six investors with Wisconsin ties, according to Woelfel, who notes that Kohl would appear to prefer to make sure the club remains in the hands of locals. Another potential owner is someone from Chicago who’s had an offer on the table for years, Woelfel writes without identifying who it is. Reading between the lines, it seems like that’s Michael Heisley, the former Grizzlies owner who lives in Chicago and has been connected with the Bucks in the past, though that’s just speculation on my part.
If Kohl sells the team sometime soon, the price could come in anywhere from $380MM to almost $500MM, according to Woelfel. That wouldn’t include the cost of a new arena, a project Kohl has been pushing civic leaders to support. Two of Woelfel’s sources believe there’s a strong chance the arena will be built. Kohl, a former Wisconsin senator, is “obsessed” with making the arena a part of his legacy, Woelfel writes, having heard from a source who says Kohl is considering footing more than $100MM worth of the construction bill.
Eastern Notes: Bogans, Bucks, Nets, Rice
A source tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Globe that Keith Bogans intends to “stick it out” with the Celtics this season, seemingly indicating the guard isn’t thinking buyout (Twitter link). The C’s and Bogans agreed to have the 33-year-old stay away from the team as Boston pursues takers for him via trade. It wouldn’t really be a surprise if Bogans doesn’t want to do a buyout, since that would mean giving up some of his more than $5MM in guaranteed salary for the season, the largest take of his career. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Bucks owner Herb Kohl is signaling to the team’s management that he’s ready to give up the pursuit of a playoff berth this season, as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in his latest Insider-only “Tank Rank” column. That contradicts what we heard earlier from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who says the team would be “more than willing” to trade for veteran help.
- Mark Deeks of ShamSports breaks down the trade agreement between the Bulls, Nets and Pelicans in a piece for SB Nation, noting that the cash Brooklyn is sending to New Orleans will be enough to cover the rest of Tyshawn Taylor‘s contract, which expires at season’s end. He also says the Nets briefly looked into a deal for Jazz point guard John Lucas III, echoing a report from July.
- The Wizards assigned Glen Rice Jr. to the D-League today, the team announced (Twitter link). It’s a rehab stint for the rookie as he makes his way back from a fractured right wrist, coach Randy Wittman says, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post. Wittman also says it’s possible the team will send No. 3 overall pick Otto Porter to the D-League at some point, too.
- The Sixers will decide within the next two or three days whether to bring back Dewayne Dedmon on a second 10-day deal, coach Brett Brown told reporters, including Tom Moore of Calkins Media (Twitter link). The center’s deal expires after Thursday night.
Bucks Rumors: Trades, Sanders, Smart
The Bucks are the only team in the league without at least 10 wins, and they sit atop our Reverse Standings with the NBA’s worst record. Teams in their position usually start thinking about the future at this point in the season, but that’s not the case for Milwaukee, which notoriously avoids bottoming out. The Bucks would be “more than willing” to trade for vets who could help them sneak into the playoffs in the moribund Eastern Conference, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, who has more from Milwaukee:
- Bucks management is still “very open” to trading Larry Sanders before the deadline, Amico writes in the same piece, echoing his report from last month. Milwaukee would want to make draft picks the centerpiece of the package it receives in exchange. The team would still have to absorb a significant amount of salary in a deal for Sanders, thanks to the Poison Pill Provision that was triggered when the Bucks signed Sanders to his extension this past summer.
- Milwaukee is enamored with Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart, Amico says, adding that it would nonetheless be tough to envision the Bucks taking him first overall.
- O.J. Mayo, like many on the Bucks, has seen his minutes go up and down, and he tells Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel that the inconsistent rotation is partly to blame for the team’s struggles. “It’s hard to get a rhythm when you don’t know what’s going to happen for you night in and night out,” Mayo said. “You may get six minutes, 30 minutes. There’s no staple to what we’re doing. You can hang in there, compete and keep it close.”
- Gary Neal left San Antonio this past summer to sign a two-year, $6.5MM deal with the Bucks, but he misses the winning he enjoyed with the Spurs, as he says to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “When you’re evaluating job choices, the financial aspect comes into it,” Neal said. “I think I made the best decision for me and my family.”
- Darington Hobson, whom the Bucks selected 37th overall in the 2010 draft, has reached a deal with Migdal Haemek, a team in an Israeli minor league, tweets David Pick of Eurobasket.com. Hobson has appeared in just five regular season NBA games, all with the Bucks in 2011/12.
Central Notes: Pacers, Bucks, Pistons
The Pistons have some tough choices to make as the February trade deadline approaches, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Even though Detroit has Brandon Jennings, he’s not necessarily viewed as a long-term option at point guard and they could theoretically make a step-up at the position like they did when they swapped Brandon Knight for Jennings. More out of the Central Division..
- The Pacers currently have the best record in the NBA at 32-7, but there are still a number of questions about the team, writes, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders.com. Brigham thinks that Danny Granger is more likely to stay with the team through the end of the season than be traded. In addition to wanting to see what a healthy Granger can provide, the team will need the cap space his expiring deal will provide in order to try and resign Lance Stephenson.
- The Pacers want to keep Stephenson beyond this season, but the potential luxury tax hit will be a sticking point, Brigham writes. The Pacers are afraid that his play this season may take Stephenson out of their price range this summer. The team figures to have $8MM-$9MM available to offer him this offseason, without sending them into luxury tax territory. There’s a chance that Stephenson might garner an offer in the $11MM-$12MM range. If that happens, the Pacers will have a difficult decision to make.
- The Pacers should consider taking a chance on Andrew Bynum, Brigham argues. Not only to keep him from potentially joining the Heat, but also, if he could find the form that made him an all-star, he would be a major asset for a team contending for a title.
- Gary Neal didn’t expect the Bucks to be struggling this much when he signed in the offseason, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinal. Neal stated, “I didn’t know the team would struggle in a manner of being 7-33 (so far 7-32) and I would be getting DNPs. I’m healthy. My family is healthy. It is what it is.“
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Smith, Deng, C’s
Can the Knicks make the playoffs? Chris Broussard of ESPN.com checked in with four Eastern Conference scouts to find out what they think of New York’s chances going forward. Two scouts say the Knicks can get home court advantage in the postseason, one scout sees them getting in the lower half but not getting far, and the other scout says their recent success is a product of the Eastern Conference’s weakness. More out of the East..
- Mike Woodson said if J.R. Smith isn’t with the program, he should get used to sitting at the end of the Knicks‘ bench, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “Put it this way, he’s going to have to be with it if he’s going to want to be a part of it,” Woodson said. “As a coach, it’s my job to make sure that that happens.’‘ It sounds like the Knicks would like to move the outspoken guard, but that could prove to be difficult.
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald says that the newly-acquired Luol Deng is filling the bill at small forward for the Cavs.
- Caron Butler is happy to be playing for his hometown Bucks, but he wants more playing time, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal-Sentinel. “The information I received before coming here is that ‘You’re going to play a lot,‘” said Butler, who thought being traded from Phoenix to Milwaukee would signal more playing time. “And I want to play. I want to be out there to help the situation.“
- Going from least valuable to most valuable, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) looks at the Celtics‘ trade assets. No surprise here, but the worst trade asset the C’s have is the cumbersome contract of Gerald Wallace.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Nunnally, LeBron
The Knicks have been shopping J.R. Smith ever since he reacted negatively to the team’s decision to waive his brother, a source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Smith’s public and private responses to his brother’s dismissal put him in owner James Dolan’s doghouse, and evidence suggests it was Dolan who ordered Smith’s surprise benching Thursday, Isola writes. Carmelo Anthony nonetheless remains supportive of the troubled swingman, and that could be the key to Smith’s ability to stick around New York, Isola believes. While even Thursday’s win over the Heat apparently can’t stop the New York soap opera, there’s also plenty of scuttlebutt from elsewhere in the NBA:
- The Hawks are set to finalize their 10-day signing of James Nunnally on Saturday, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- LeBron James and Tom Thibodeau share mutual admiration, but the Bulls would have to OK repeated luxury tax payments and Derrick Rose would have to cede crunch-time shots for LeBron to wind up with Chicago, notes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Thibodeau indicated today that the Bulls plan to send Erik Murphy to the D-League soon, observes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link).
- Giannis Antetokounmpo would love to play with his brother, Thanasis, but he won’t pressure the Bucks to draft him this year, writes Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links).
- Australian guard Dante Exum has been meeting with agents the past few weeks, as expected, and the projected top-five pick appears to be a “lock” to enter the draft this year, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (on Twitter).
- There isn’t as much motivation for teams to tank as popular opinion suggests, and even when there is, the practice demonstrates a willingness to win as much as much as it does an intention to lose, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports opines in a piece for SB Nation.
Eastern Links: Brown, Celtics, Bucks, Bulls
The Nets will look to become the second New York team in two days to knock off the Heat, when Brooklyn and Miami play at the Barclays Center tonight. While we look forward to that matchup, one of 12 games on the evening’s slate, here are a few notes from around the Eastern Conference:
- As expected, the Sixers have recalled Lorenzo Brown after a one-game stint with the Delaware 87ers, the team announced today in a press release. Philadelphia assigned Brown to the D-League yesterday, and he contributed 22 points and seven rebounds in a loss to the Texas Legends.
- In his latest mailbag for ESPNBoston.com, Chris Forsberg tackles questions on Jeff Green’s long-term fit in Boston and what sort of moves the Celtics will make next.
- The Bucks sit at the “top” of our 2013/14 NBA reverse standings, which means it’s probably time to start looking ahead to the draft rather than the playoffs. Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel does just that, examining a few potential candidates for Milwaukee if the team lands a top draft pick.
- Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com examines how the Bulls‘ decision to trade Luol Deng might affect the long-term future of Derrick Rose.