Milwaukee Bucks Sign and Trade Brandon Jennings

Bucks, Jennings Part Ways

Just when it seemed likely that free agent point guard Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks would settle their differences and agree on a one year qualifying offer, the team pulled a somewhat unexpected deal yesterday sending the 23 year old to the Detroit Pistons in a sign and trade deal.

Jennings agreed to sign a three year/$24 million deal with the Pistons . In exchange the Bucks obtained guard Brandon Knight, forward Khris Middleton and center Viacheslav Kravtsov.

Which team is this deal better for?

The verdict on who “won” this deal won’t really be out until after the 2013-2014 season is complete because there are so many questions surrounding both team’s acquisitions and how they will fit in with their new roster. Can Brandon Knight become the future starting point guard for the Bucks or will the Bucks use him as trade bait? Or, how will Jennings and newly acquired free agent forward Josh Smith fare in Detroit with only one basketball? So, we have to wait and see how the season plays out before truly determining who got the better end of deal in this trade.

How does this deal effect the Bucks?

First off for Milwaukee: it’s no secret that replacing Jennings and his 17.5 ppg and 6.5 apg averages will be very hard.  In addition to this, Jennings was the closest thing that the Bucks had to a “franchise player” the last couple of seasons and in a day in age where the NBA is all about stardom this could have a negative affect on the fan base for Milwaukee.

On the flip-side of this, the Bucks could gain a few things from dealing Jennings. Now that he is gone, the Bucks will have more financial flexibility for the rest of this offseason. In addition, the offseason of 2014, the Bucks could now go after some big name free agents to team up with recently acquired guard OJ Mayo as well as an up and coming front court of Larry Sanders and John Henson.

Finally, the loss of Jennings could bring the team closer together now that Jennings and the attention that he garners is gone. Think of it as something like a small scale version of the Chicago Bulls and how they came together without Derrick Rose. In any case, the loss of Jennings will have a big impact on the team. What kind of impact remains to be seen.

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Tom Brown (@TABrown23)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.

Point Guard Options for the Milwaukee Bucks

After the Atlanta Hawks matched the Milwaukee Bucks offer sheet (4 years, 32 million dollars) to restricted free agent point guard Jeff Teague, it looked almost certain that the Bucks would have to bring back Brandon Jennings either by an extension or qualifying offer. However, that may not be the case.

For those who think Brandon Jennings is now a lock to return to Bucks, guess again. As of this tweet, Bucks still looking at other PGs.
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) July 19, 2013

That being said, I believe the best case scenario for this drama that has developed between the two parties is a break up. With the Bucks offering Teague the offer sheet, it pretty much made it obvious to Brandon Jennings that he was plan B. Whether he feels disrespected or not, that is neither here nor there. Here's an interesting stat on Brandon Jennings that may surprise you. I shared this on the blog's Twitter account a week ago.

In the last 15 NBA seasons, only one player has shot over 1,200 shots and shot under 40% in a season. That player is Brandon Jennings.
— WI Sports Blog (@WISportsBlog) July 11, 2013

If Brandon Jennings was...let's say...more efficient, maybe the 12 million dollars a year he's asking for wouldn't be as ludicrous as it sounds coming from him?

A sign and trade makes the most sense here, however there are a few free agents the Bucks could look at. Right now the point guard depth chart for the Bucks stands at Luke Ridnour, Ish Smith, and rookie Nate Wolters. If the Bucks can get a predominate point guard, the team may look to keep Ridnour in more of a shooting guard role to back up OJ Mayo, however Luke can play both point and shooting guard.

One option on the table could be bringing back yet another former Buck. Beno Udrih is on the free agent market, a player we sent to the Orlando Magic in the ridiculous JJ Redick/Tobias Harris trade. Udrih is a very efficient point guard who actually plays remarkably better as a starter vs. a reserve.

As a starter, Beno averages 13.4 PPG, 5.2 AST, 3.3 REB, 47.9% FG%, 37.3% 3P%, and 84.8 FT%.

As a reserve, Beno averages 6.4 PPG, 2.6 AST, 1.5 REB, 44.2% FG%, 33.4% 3P%, and 79.6 FT%.

More impressively, as a starter in nine games for the Magic last year, Beno averaged 14.3 points a game, 8.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds while shooting 40.7% from the field, 53.8% from three-point range and 86.4% from the free throw line.

Now some will say that Beno won't want to come back to Milwaukee after his comments he made after the trade last year. That was really all on Scott Skiles, not the whole organization. Skiles is well known for not communicating with his players (Eddy Curry, Brandon Jennings, and Jason Kidd...just to name a few). I'm not here to compare the coaching styles of Larry Drew and Scott Skiles. All I'm saying is that how Skiles was last year wouldn't effect Beno returning to the Bucks with Larry Drew as the team's new head coach.

With the Bucks having roughly 7-8 million left in cap space, the price would have to be right to bring him back. Coincidentally, Beno made just over 7 million last year between the Bucks and Magic. I don't see any reason why he would expect much less than that considering his strong finish to the season last year. In the end, I don't think this move could end up happening unless Beno comes in at a discounted price. (4-5 million a year deal).

Moving on, there a lot of names out there that are available, but quite frankly I don't think the Bucks or any team for that matter have interest in. For example,

Baron Davis...pass.
Gilbert Arenas...pass.
Derek Fisher...pass.

Those would have been great free agent signings 5-10 years ago. Not now. But who knows. We are talking about the Bucks.

An under the radar guy out there for me is Delonte West. Besides his final two years with Boston and his second season with Cleveland, the 29 year old has never really had a predominate role with a team. He's coming off a season with Dallas with the highest PER rating of his career (15.3). West can play both guard positions. At 6-4, West plays pretty decent defense as well. At age 30, former Buck Mo Williams might end up being an option. 33 year old Keyon Dooling is looking for a team as well.

I think a signing that a lot of Bucks fans have been asking me about and wanting is Nate Robinson. Nate is coming of an impressive career year with the Chicago Bulls. We can all thank Derrick Rose for the showcase Robinson put on last year. One very misleading thing about Nate is that his style fits in well with the Bulls, who are a big team in terms of height. The Bucks are opposite. We've been very small in recent years. I fear that if Nate came to the Bucks, he would be smothered in our style of offense.

The one positive entity that surrounds Nate Robinson is that he could come at a very inexpensive price. He'd likely cost 3/4 of what Udrih would cost. And, at a low price like that, Nate could be appealing to a team at the trade deadline. Bringing Nate in at that price gives the Bucks some room to add depth at another wing position. (SG/SF Richard Hamilton, SG Gary Neal, and SF Austin Daye in particular).

Finally, Nate Robinson signed a baby at the Vegas Summer League. Moving along...

Putting the free agency madness aside, there is one sign and trade opportunity out there that could help solve this point guard dilemma. It involves a move that I actually wrote about in a previous article regarding the Bucks free agency/offseason.

The Indiana Pacers like them some Brandon Jennings. It's documented. It's what they immediately talked about once the offseason began. They originally tried to pawn off Danny Granger and his crazy contract on the Bucks in exchange for Brandon Jennings (Granger will make 14 million in 2013 coming off an injury ridden season.) However, something that caught my eye is actually something I could see happening.

The Milwaukee Bucks sign and trade point guard Brandon Jennings and a 2014 and 2015 second round pick to the Indiana Pacers for point guard George Hill.

Obviously, if the Pacers want Jennings, they don't need to be paying George Hill his contract to be a back up. Speaking of his contract, it is all too familiar with what the Bucks were willing to pay another point guard. George Hill's remaining contract with the Pacers is good for 4 years, and it pays exactly 8 million dollars annually. It's mirror image of what we offered Teague.

Now, this move is only likely if the Bucks decide not to use this season as a transitional one and they actually want to compete. All signs point to this year being transitional and the #TankForWiggins trend seems to be likely. That's why I'm just speculating here.

I think that is an important thing to remember coming out of this free agency period with the Bucks. I think it's wise to save your emotions with the Bucks when it comes to this stuff. With the way we drafted this year, I feel we are heading into the right direction. I believe that with who we brought in for free agent signings are trade chips, role players to mentor our rookies (Zaza, Delfino, and Ridnour to teach Wolters and Giannis). In the end, I think at best we will be a lottery team, regardless if Jennings comes back or not. That is unless we make a big move involving Jennings.

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @Mik3_Schu, and @10iskristin.

Final Predictions For The Bucks Heading Into The NBA Draft

We are just about twenty-four hours away from the 2013 NBA Draft getting underway from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Many rumors have surfaced regarding the Bucks as well as a few names that have been associated with the Bucks 15th overall pick. I'll go over what is true, false, and what to take with a grain of salt. I'm also going to give you some insight on what to expect tomorrow from the Milwaukee Bucks on who we are likely to draft with each pick Here we go.

First, I want to tackle the rumors for everyone.

"The Bucks are interested in acquiring small forward Paul Pierce from the Celtics." 

GRAIN OF SALT - The rumor is true as it's been confirmed by multiple sources. However, this is pretty simple to debunk to show why it won't happen. Unless the Celtics throw in Rajon Rondo too, this isn't happening. Although we all know the Bucks love acquiring guys past their prime, there is no way they are in a position to take on Paul's contract. He would be a great veteran to have, but there are better small forwards that are free agents if we really want one. (Not to mention we can draft one, too). The nostalgia is cool, but it's not a move the Bucks should make if they want to rebuild. They have bigger issues at hand this offseason, like who will be in the backcourt for example, than worry about a veteran presence.

"The Pacers are looking to deal small forward Danny Granger to the Bucks in a sign/trade for point guard Brandon Jennings."

TRUE - The Pacers are/were really serious about getting Brandon Jennings. It's been documented by many NBA analysts, including Sam Amico from Fox Sports Ohio, that the Pacers are extremely interested in trading for Brandon Jennings from the Milwaukee Bucks.

However, now the Pacers instead want to Bucks to sign and trade Monta Ellis instead. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN asked an NBA executive for some names that are hot-and-heavy in trade talks. The names he got back were the Pacers' Danny Granger, the Bucks' Monta Ellis (sign and trade).

Whether it's Jennings or Ellis, in return the Pacers would send small forward Danny Granger. Granger was a bit banged up last year and didn't play at all, really. He's a great shooter who the Bucks should seriously look at. The Pacers have Paul George now, which makes Granger very expendable. The Bucks will be careful here, however. They obviously won't trade for him if they don't feel he's healthy, especially for Brandon Jennings.

"The Bobcats have placed Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on the trading block. The Bucks have expressed interest in him."

FALSE - Charlotte Bobcats GM Rich Cho denied that the team is shopping former No. 2 overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist during a radio interview. 

"No! We're not shopping him,'' Cho said on WFNZ-AM 610. "We get calls about all our players. It's my job to take calls. We're not shopping MKG.''

Cho said, "all the teams that are listed in the report are 100 percent false,'' adding "We still like Kidd-Gilchrist. We think he had a good year.''

The Bucks would have had to give up Larry Sanders, according to the report which made me scratch my head right away. I'd love MKG, but not for Sanders.

"The Bucks have interest in shooting guard J.R. Smith"

Based on early conversations, Milwaukee and Detroit are among several teams that have shown interest in free agent J.R. Smith, sources say.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 26, 2013

TRUE, BUT GRAIN OF SALT - God I really hope this doesn't happen. This is such a Hammond thing to do, though. If you thought Stephen Jackson was a cancer in the locker room, just wait for J.R. Smith if he comes to Milwaukee.

Those are all of the rumors I've heard of. Let's quickly move onto the draft.

Final Draft Predictions:

Pick 15 - UCLA SF Shabazz Muhammad - Shabazz is going to fall, and I feel the Bucks will bite the bullet and draft him. Contrary to the media outlets questioning Shabazz, I don't feel there is anything to worry about. Off the court he has some issues with his father, but that's about it. If he's on the board, the Bucks need to risk it can take him strictly on value. Maybe they look to trade him during the draft. They've been known to do that. Bottom line, the Bucks need depth a small forward if they don't pull off a trade for one after trading away Tobias Harris last season. Shabazz would be a steal at #15.

Pick 43 - Texas PG Myck Kabongo - He's considered one of the best pure point guards in the draft, and I would rank him as a Top 5 overall point guard in the draft. He was originally considered a lottery pick, but some issues at school caused his draft stock to drop. He's got way more pros than cons, that's for sure. His only downside is his size and the NCAA sanctions that kept him from playing last year. He's got great speed, he's a great passer, and great vision of the court. He rarely converts turnovers. The Bucks need depth at point guard considering they may not have a single one they had from last year. Kabongo sounds like a second round steal for me.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @Mik3_Schu, and @10iskristin.

Top Draft Prospect Fits for the Bucks - Round 1

The Milwaukee Bucks have hired former Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew to a four year deal worth about ten million dollars. I really like this hire. A lot. Much better than what Kelvin Sampson could have done, in my opinion. Larry Drew coached the Hawks for three seasons, leading them to the NBA Playoffs in each of those three years he coached them. Drew provides a great draw for the Bucks, if that makes any sense to anyone.

With this hire, we can officially focus on the NBA Draft, which is later this month (June 27th). There are many questions surrounding the Bucks backcourt heading into the offseason as Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and JJ Redick could all be gone when free agency is all said and done. There is a rumor that the Bucks front office prefers to keep Ellis and Redick over Jennings, but grain of salt there. One thing worth mentioning to somewhat support that potential direction of the Bucks regarding the future of Brandon Jennings is that Brandon really went to bat for the the Bucks to hire Sampson, yet they hired Drew instead. So, there's that.

The following candidates are who I feel are the top talents in each round that I feel could benefit the Bucks the most to improve the voids they have. Obviously no matter who they draft, it won't put them up to the caliber of the Heat, Bulls, etc. However, with the amount of funds that will be available for the Bucks to utilize this offseason in free agency, we could easily improve to a number six or five seed. But, that can be discussed on a later post. Here is Round 1.

Round 1

Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan, 6-6, Jr. - Tim has the potential to be an instant star. The Bucks worked him out last week and are very high on him. They were thoroughly impressed to be exact. The Bucks need depth all across the backcourt and will look at the best available player who can provide a punch off the bench. Tim Hardaway Jr. isn't elite in any area of his game, but he is a solid all-around player. Tim was a 43% shooter from the field for Michigan last year, while knocking down 37% of his 3-point attempts. He also averaged about 5 rebounds a game along with 2 assists and 1 block. He's listed as a 6'6" shooting guard, but the Bucks would likely want him to add depth to the small forward position after trading away Tobias Harris at the trade deadline.

Shane Larkin, PG, Miami, 5-11, Soph. - Larkin is another guy the Bucks worked out last week and are also very high on. Larkin interviewed with the media after the work out and said he sees a lot of potential with the Bucks and how he could fit into their offensive scheme and help improve the team. Larkin averaged 14.5 points and about 5 assists while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc last season. Larkin is a sharpshooter and can go on streaks without missing, hence his 47% shooting percentage last season. Larkin is only a sophomore, so age will factor into his playing time for the Bucks off the bat if they draft him. However, he could really form into one of the best point guards in the league regardless of his size (5'11", 180 pounds).

Could Shane Larkin be the potential replacement for Brandon Jennings?

Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State, 6-5, Jr. - Franklin is definitely one of the more underrated draft prospects in this draft and could be a great value pick for the Bucks. Jamaal is a 6'5" shooting guard who averaged 17 points per game last year while shooting 41% from the field to go along with with 9.5 rebounds and 3 assists a game. His shot from behind the arc isn't anything special, but he makes up for it with his defense and intangibles. He got about 3 steals a game last year for the Aztecs while only committing just over 2 fouls a game. He's a very smart ball handler and all around great basketball mind. A pattern that Jamaal showed last season was that he contributed somehow in every game in some aspect. If his points were down, he was racking in 10+ rebounds, stealing the ball and accumulating dimes. 

Glen Rice Jr., G/F, NBADL, 6-6 - Glen Rice is an interesting story. Last year he was kicked off the Georgia Tech basketball program for driving under the influence and discharging a firearm while under the influence. A year later, he got his act together, played for the NBA D-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and lead the team to the D-League championship and was named the game's MVP. Rice averaged 25 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals in the playoffs including averaging 29 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 3.5 blocks in the D-League finals. The Bucks have worked Rice out and would be a phenomenal pick for the Bucks.

Glen Rice Jr. playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas, 6-9, Soph. - Mitchell could very well be one of the best pure athletes in the NBA Draft this year. The Bucks have said that they want someone to compliment Larry Sanders and John Henson at the forward position. Well, standing at 6'8.5" with a 7'3" wingspan, Mitchell is easily their guy. A nice note on Mitchell is that he was born in Milwaukee and has talked about in recent interviews about liking the idea of playing here. Mitchell had ten double doubles for North Texas last season. To give you a better idea of how crazy good Mitchell is, here is a little highlight video of him. He makes playing basketball look easy.





First Round Sleeper Pick: Shabazz Muhammad, SG, UCLA, 6-6, Fr. - Now, you all are probably thinking I'm nuts for a few reasons. You either think A.) Shabazz won't drop this far or B.) he's a terrible athlete and not worth the pick. If you are in group A, it's been talked about that Muhammad could end up dropping to the late first round even. Past the Bucks at pick 15. If you are in group B, I understand your concern. I was a bit skeptical myself. (Still am a little). However, it can't be ignored he averaged nearly 18 points as a freshman while shooting 44% from the field and 38% from behind the arc. He also averaged 5 rebounds a game. He did all of this while only playing an average of 30 minutes a game. Not counting the three games Muhammad missed to start the season, he only had one game last year for UCLA where he didn't score in double digits. (vs. Utah 6 points, 3-13 shooting, 0-4 from 3-point range). If Muhammad falls to the Bucks, I would simply take him as a value/best available player pick. Who knows, you may strike gold.

Thank you for taking the time to read, as always. I'd like to hear what you would do (realistically) if you were the GM and you had control of the 15th pick of the NBA draft for the Bucks. I don't want answers like "trade the pick for a warm towel" or anything of that nature. Send me your ideas on the Twitter account: @WISportsBlog. I should have Round 2 ready to go by tomorrow if I have time. If not, by Tuesday for sure.

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

- Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @Mik3_Schu, @jheldred, @olewr7, and @Stevie2Westside. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Mailbag: Brewers, NFL Draft, Brandon Jennings, and More

Q1: If Ryan Braun is found "guilty", who ends up in LF? - @NotFakeBenWeege

I don't think there is enough evidence against Ryan to even make a case to suspend him. His name on two pieces of paper surely isn't valid. I don't think anyone should be at all worried at the moment unless MLB releases something on a decision. Cause all of the reports saying Braun will be suspended are all false, and they were proven false by a few reliable sources. To answer your question, I think Khris Davis or Caleb Gindl would get the call to play left field for 50 games just based on how they are playing this spring.

Q2: Do you think there's a chance the Packers sign Micheal Turner and pair him with DuJuan Harris? - @davidjames2004

Five years ago, Michael Turner would have been a great free agent pick up. I don't think Ted Thompson has any interest in signing a free agent running back, especially Michael Turner. Now, if he was looking to sign Steven Jackson, Reggie Bush, or Ahmad Bradshaw, then I'd be interested. I see Ted using one of the nine draft picks on a running back. Eddie Lacy, Montee Ball, and Christine Michael have been linked to the Packers for a few months now. I am in favor of having Harris paired with a veteran. I like that idea a lot. Good question.

Q3: Who do you think could be a surprise contributor for the Brewers next season? - @zdugan3

I'll answer this from both sides of the ball. First, pitching. I think Marco Estrada has himself set up for a fantastic season as the Brewers' number two pitcher. He has tremendous upside and is a big sleeper for 2013. In 2012, Estrada put up ace-esque numbers with 5.32 K/BB ratio, a 9.3 K/9 ratio, and a 2.0 BB/9 ratio. If Estrada can pitch a full season, which would be a first in his career, I think he could really turn some heads. As for offense, I think the obvious choice is Rickie Weeks. There is no way he can be as bad as he was last year, and I feel he will bounce back nicely in 2013. After the All-Star break, Weeks batted .261 with 13 home runs and 10 stolen bases.

Q4: If the Bucks let Brandon Jennings walk, who do you use cap space on? - @patrickbucky

I can assure you that the directive of the Bucks is that they will match any offer Jennings receives. The idea is to Let Ellis walk, resign Jennings and Redick and pair them with Larry Sanders and Ersan Ilyasova. With the cap space that becomes available, the Bucks will obviously target Josh Smith, much like they did before the trade deadline. Al Jefferson, Corey Brewer, Josh Howard, and Kyle Korver all appeal to me as well. Since the Bucks are the least valuable team in the NBA, establishing a legit "Big 3" would go along way to draw a crowd at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Drawing interest in your team is how you start to make money as a franchise. It doesn't matter how many wins you have at the end of the year, it's about who you put on the court. 

Q5: Do you think Sam Dekker will make it in the NBA? All-Star? - @L_Myers12

Too early to tell right now. He certainly has the potential. He'll be entering his second season with the Badgers next year. Let's see how that plays out before we start predicting NBA futures. He has a legit shot at Big 10 6th Man of the Year, though.  

Q6: What is the condition of Aramis Ramirez? - @packbrewfan1

The Brewers released yesterday that Aramis Ramirez will be sidelined for 7-10 days with a sprained knee. The club was trying to give Aramis more at bats in spring to quicken his slow start process so he would be hot by Opening Day. That idea backfired when Aramis jammed his knee sliding into second base. Ramirez will rest up and will test his knee out in about a week. With Ramirez aging, the signing of Alex Gonzalez looks even better now as he can provide depth at third base. 

Q7: Jenkins or Canty or neither? Position for first round pick? - @NeisesTom

I wouldn't mind either. Jenkins said he would love a Packers reunion, but I don't think Ted Thompson feels the same. Canty is scheduled to come into Green Bay to meet with the staff and have a physical. A lot of people view Canty as a high profile player that would be a perfect fit for the Packers, and the organization is well aware of that. I think the Packers understand the importance of filling the holes that developed over last season. As far as drafting in the first round, I would like to see a running back, wide receiver, or offensive line.  

Q8: Thoughts on Hiram Burgos in the Bigs this year? - @AlexTJohnson

He'll be in Triple-A for the duration of the 2013 season with a few spot starts for the Brewers throughout the year. He'll be a September call up for sure. Looking further, Burgos will make a strong case to be in the Brewers starting rotation heading into the 2014 season.

Q9: Are the Brewers improving this year? - @EthanWotruba

Improving is tough to say. I think what the Brewers are doing right now is feeling out the farm system and seeing what works and doesn't work. They are looking to have a contending team again by 2014/2015 and they are putting themselves in the perfect position to do so. They cut the salary by almost 25% and still have a viable offense with a decent bullpen and an inexperienced starting rotation. They are sitting well with player development. Pitchers and position players in the minor have strides before they are at a major league level and considered legitimate by baseball writers.

Q10: How do you feel about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being the next coach of the Milwaukee Bucks? There's talk and he said he'd do it. - @HarrisonFtw

I would love Kareem as the head coach for the Bucks. It relates to what I talked about before about drawing a crowd. Milwaukee would love to see Kareem on the Bucks again, only this time as a coach. Granted, Jabbar has said some things about Milwaukee that were rather not nice. But, in a recent interview he expressed interest in coaching the Bucks. Therefore, I am absolutely an advocate for it. Other names that have been brought up for the coaching vacancy are Jerry Sloan, Stan Van Gundy, and Brian Shaw.

Thank you all who have participated! See you all again in April for the next Mailbag Blog!

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

-Andrew Vrchota (@AndrewVrchota)

Follow us on Twitter for up to date news on Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and more. Live in game commentary, breaking news, previews, and post game discussion. @WISportsBlog @AndrewVrchota, @JoeP_Norton, @Brandon_BFP, @SMahon2Go @ryan_937, @Mik3_Schu. Finally, find us on Instagram! (wisportsblog)

Milwaukee Bucks Quarter Season Recap

Who are the 2012-2013 Bucks?  They’re cerebral, clutch and potent. 

Not many experts had the Bucks in 2nd place a quarter’s way through the season, and fewer expected an opening night like they had in Boston to kick off the season, trumping the Celtics 99-88.  The next night would really spark the season as Brandon Jennings drained a game winning three pointer at the buzzer after the Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving tied the game with under two seconds on the clock. 


The Walking Dead
Milwaukee radio was buzzing and the team has showed its promise.  The Andrew Bogut for Monta Ellis trade has already justified itself as Bogut sits injured on the Golden State bench while Ellis has averaged 19.6 PPG through his first 30 games of the season.  The improvement of Larry Sanders as a defensive beast and the presence of Ekpe Udoh have filled the void of Bogut.  Simply put, the trade is looking like an absolute steal and Ellis leads the team in scoring and lives up to his scouting report as a dynamite transition player and lightning quick guard.  Meanwhile, in Golden State, Andy Bogut sits.  (Though we sincerely wish him the best of luck going forward, a former fan favorite).

Breaking Bad
The scary thing?  Ellis hasn’t even flashed his best looks yet; Ellis has not played up to his career norms from the shooting side.  He’s shot just 22% from 3-point territory, down from his career average of 32%, and he’s been less efficient from the field to date, too (39% in ’12, 46% career).  So where does Ellis go from here?  The Mississippi native needs to learn how to play with Jennings on the court—with efficiency.  Having two similar backcourt players on the court at the same time can sometimes negate the way they play.  Using Monta Ellis’ PER of 16.3 (Player Efficiency Rating statistic, used to measure per-minute production), he has been less “efficient” than his career norm of about 17.  The best is yet to come… 

Fringe
Brandon Jennings, the Bucks fringe All-Star (currently 9th for Eastern backcourt stars), continues to improve each year in the league.  The 23-year old veteran has seen spikes in most all of his efficiency stats (3P%, FT%) and with Ellis at his side, has the ability to dish the ball and get his share of assists (6.1 APG—highest of his career).  Also following his career trend, Jennings has been a fourth quarter force, demanding the ball and putting up strong numbers in the game’s closing minutes.   

Homeland
The Bucks have played solid at home—not incredible, but their 9-7 record will allow them to remain competitive as long as they play .500 on the road (just as they’ve done at 7-7).  Moreover, the Bucks backcourt is the highest scoring backcourt in the NBA, which is pretty impressive with duos like Ginobli and Parker, Kobe and Nash, and Deron Williams and Joe Johnson lighting it up. 

The Americans
Nobody had a tougher start to the season then Erysan Ilyasova, but after Coach Scott Skiles starting using him as the 6th man off the bench, Ilyasova has begun to replicate his breakout 2011-2012 season.   After a pitiful November where he shot under 35% from the field, Ilyasova countered by shooting 46%  since the calendar struck December and has been draining three pointers at a 52% clip.  While he went on an offensive vacation for most of November, his defense has continued to be top notch and its one of Ilyasova’s major assets to his game.  Coming into the season, we were worried that last year was a fluke, aberration for Ilysavoa, but the 25 year old Turkish Tornado has followed up with a great month of basketball and is on the right track to rebound after a disturbing first month.

Modern Family
The Bucks are really starting to come together and learn how to play together.  For the majority of the team, this is their second year together.  Mike Dunleavy and Larry Sanders deserve big ups and credit for much improvement (specifically on the defensive end) in their game this season, and a few masterful performance this season (Dunleavy’s 29 point outburst against the Cavs as the Bucks went to win by 2 in early December / Sanders’ evolution in becoming a one man SWAT team as supported by his league leading 3.0 blocks per game).

The Bucks Outlook: The Bucks have had a very adequate quarter+ to their season as they sit in the no. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference.  They remain one game behind the Chicago Bulls in the conference and while they’ve lost their last two (5-5 in their last 10), the Bucks have a realistic chance to get the no. 5 seed in conference and, if everything goes right, even a shot at the no. 4 seed (just 2 GB the Pacers).

Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

-Sean Mahon (@SMahon2Go)

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