The NBA’s next must-watch team … The Bucks?
Michael Redd
For the last three-plus years, for six months straight during every NBA season, I watch at least 2-3 games every single night just for work fun. Over that time, one of the teams I’ve always had a hard time watching is the Bucks. Like usual, it’s more aesthetic than anything: Ugly uniforms, ugly court, zombie fans, generally awful team — aside from the occasional Michael Redd 40-point outburst, the Bucks could cease to exist (or move to Seattle) and I really wouldn’t mind.
But going into next season, I get the feeling the Bucks could reach “appointment viewing” status on my League Pass schedule.
No one would have seen it from a Scott Skiles team, but Milwaukee is putting together a roster built for running and gunning. They picked up Brandon Jennings with the 10th pick in the Draft, a point guard who thrives in an up-tempo system where he can use his speed and creativity to its full potential. Jennings’ backup — whether immediately or eventually — will be Luke Ridnour, who I’ve been calling a destitute man’s Steve Nash for years, a guy who plays his best when the game speeds up. (Even if Milwaukee ends up keeping Ramon Sessions, this doesn’t change; Sessions can thrive while running as well.)
Second-round pick Jodie Meeks is a perfect student to learn under Redd; they’re both volume shooters who will get buckets whenever they’re on the court and will shine in a shot-happy system. Joe Alexander, last year’s Lottery pick, is perhaps the best athlete in his draft class behind Derrick Rose; after the Richard Jefferson trade, Alexander in good position to start at small forward.
So at the one, two and three, Milwaukee is a team built to run. And in the frontcourt they’ve got Andrew Bogut, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Amir Johnson, all of whom can keep up in a transition game.
Earlier today, the Bucks got even more athletic, trading veteran PF Malik Allen to Denver for young PF Walter Sharpe and high-flying wing Sonny Weems, who won the NCAA dunk contest a couple years back. Weems was one of the underrated standouts of the Vegas Summer League (16.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg), and if he happens to crack the Bucks rotation, will be a threat in a transition game.
Ideally, Skiles and the Bucks’ brass know what they’re doing and plan to crank the offense up a few notches this season. I wouldn’t expect the coach to switch it up immediately, especially if he’s starting a rookie point guard, but eventually I could see Skiles taking an approach similar to Jim O’Brien‘s in Indiana. Expend your energy teaching defense, while stepping aside and letting Jennings and the guys rock out on offense.
Like everyone has been saying about the Kings this offseason, the Bucks are a team that needs to bring fans back to the arena and get people in Milwaukee interested in their product again, even if they’re not winning right away. Putting an exciting team on the floor is a good start.
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July 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
robmo35 says:
Burton: This prediction is predicated on rookies learning the game, and underachieving vets overachieving. I remember similar rumblings about the Clippers when they had Odom and Miles. I have heard similar things about the Warriors each year. Guess what never panned out to be exciting basketball because it never turned into good basketball or winning basketball. Don’t forget you made this prediction, but for God’s sake don’t print a retraction when it doesn’t come true. Learn and move on
July 21st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
"Big Hook" Nunez says:
Not a glamorous team being in a small market. Not a glamorous style of play with Skiles micromanaging every play. I would rather watch my not so glamorous fat wife eat during dinner time, than watch the Bucks on league pass.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Vinny says:
I agree with number 2-except for the wife part!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Coop says:
The Bucks will be terrible because they don’t have a leader, Redd is injury-prone, they don’t have much in the way of chemistry and unless Skiles can instill some plays into their brains then it’ll be 25 wins for this lot.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Mack Brownee says:
B jennings is going to be a star; bet that!
July 21st, 2009 at 6:02 pm
AB_40 says:
alexander doesn’t know jack ish about basketball brandon jennings is gonna sit because he has a big mouth and that doesn’t go well with coach skiles. who’s their starting power forward? exactly. ramon sessions is GONE donzo off to new york or miami. only thing fun for me is that they got two dutch guys but they both don’t play so nah the bucks arn’t that team for me next season. I’ma watch the thunder, it was gonna be indiana but they got hansbrough I can’t watch a team with him on it haha. washington is gonna be ok to watch with arenas back but he’s stopped all the antics. and I’ll watch all the big games.
i’ll watch 1/2 games a day getting it for the first time next season
July 21st, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Mack Brownee says:
everybody talkn down on the bucks will be eating their words once they see BJ in action
July 21st, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
This article seemed like it was written for the sake of writing an article on a slow basketball news day.
However, I was with you until you said Alexander was in a position to start.
Why the Bucks will continue to be unwatchable
1. Alexander may have a raw athletic potential but he is not an NBA level talent, at least not a starter.
2. Redd will most likely be injured and miss significant time at some point.
3. Even though I think Bogut is a good center, him nor the other big men you mention invoke any feelings of excitement at all.
4. I think Sessions, the Bucks most proven guard, is gone.
5. When the acquisition of Sonny Weems and Walter Sharpe is considered a major off season move you have problems.
The only reason I might catch a Bucks game this year is to see whether Jennings is the real deal. Even that is up in the air.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
I was just thinking that after the Wolves, the Bucks have the worst roster on paper. But on second thought, if Al Jefferson is back to form, the Wolves look better than the Bucks.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
On the bright side though, if BJ doesn’t pan out, the bucks have a legit shot at getting Wall with the number one pick in 2010.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Brad says:
I’ve been a bucks fan my entire life and I thank god you guys finally wrote something about them.
The team will be kinda bad next year, but they really showed some life last year.
Skiles obviously taught a few of those guys some D and will continue to do so this year.
They’re on the right path, they just need to get Redd and Gadzuric off the god damn roster so they have some kind of money to play with.
Clearly Brandon Jennings and Meeks can ball so hopefully they can crack the 6-8 seed range for the playoffs next year. For the love of god, DON’T MOVE THE BUCKS!!
July 21st, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Luigi says:
Bucks vs. Wiz should be fun again. After all…a run n gun squad vs. Agent Zero and Co. Plus the fact that teams are getting D into their heads…it should be a fun battle to watch again. ey Bucks?
July 21st, 2009 at 7:01 pm
ShowKase says:
Every time I see their jerseys I think about Christmas, except for the fact that Bucks fans always seem to get coal instead of playoff games.
July 21st, 2009 at 7:07 pm
LakeShow84 says:
When i read the headline i immediately thought of Charlie Murphy when Prince challenged him to a game of basketball..
HAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..
“SHOOT THE J!! SHOOT IT!!”
July 21st, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Jeremy says:
I don’t know if I’m excited to see that there is a growing acknowledgment that the Bucks still exist or disappointed that anytime a media outlet acknowledges them 30 people immediately comment how stupid it is that the Bucks are being mentioned.
I’ll just be excited that Brandon Jennings will be in Milwaukee for a few years and forget the negativity that comes with liking the Bucks.
July 21st, 2009 at 8:20 pm
TruthBurns says:
Bogut can run?
What did I miss?
July 21st, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Matt says:
I hope the Bucks can make some headway and become the playoff team they were in the 80′s and early 2000′s under Karl. Had the same kind of negative comments in the 90′s about the Bucks until Cassel, Allen and Robinson took them to the conference finals in 2001. Then the next year they were the team to beat in the east.
It is amazing how many people are band wagoners with NBA teams. When teams are good, everyone seems to love em’ and the franchise is great, when they are bad, they are suddenly run like the Clippers.
The Bucks aren’t going to be the team to beat this year, but with young and exciting talent on the team, they may be fun to watch and may surprise a few people and sneak into the playoffs. Hope they prove the Milwaukee haters wrong.
July 21st, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Flying_Aussie_Dutchman says:
I’ve got a question, I live in Australia, we get maybe 2-3 games A WEEK if we’re lucky. So would it be worthy getting League Pass, even tho all the games would be finished by the time I get home from work.
July 21st, 2009 at 8:55 pm
sh!tfaced says:
besides redd and bogut being injury prone, the bucks are actually quietly building a nice scott skiles kind of team.
July 21st, 2009 at 9:14 pm
BrickLayer says:
i am from australia too. i got the league pass on NBA.com last season. there are replays from the previous day, but you probably have to wait a couple of days to view, by the time you get home at night i am not sure they will be up.
The pass is great, but i had a lot of problems with streaming the games. the bucks games are fine, look great, cause no one would watch them. but the good teams lag a lot and you often miss video or sound.
if you know of another service let me know!
July 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ Austin – Weems had a solid summer league.
How did Alexander do and why do you think he can start?
July 21st, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Dagger says:
Wow that’s an underwhelming list of names. A team can run, but it’s hard for it to thrive while running any offense without some star power. And it’s hard to have an exciting team that’s fifteen games under .500, which I’ll guess the Bucks will be at some point next year.
July 21st, 2009 at 9:49 pm
mr22 says:
im a big bucks fan from milwaukee and have to admit, this article is pretty bad. you’re not foolin anybody with it. i do think they’ll be decent and should improve over last years record if thats worth anything. if bogut and redd can stay healthy, playoffs for sure. quote that.
July 21st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
mr22 says:
forgot to mention that alexander’s a complete bust and will probably do nothing this year. hustle play here, dunk there, that’ll probably be it.
July 21st, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Kobeef says:
@KDizzle
Last time I checked, Alexander was 3 games into summer league and was shooting a combined 20% from the floor. The kid is an athlete but his jumper is broken..and I’m talking “compound fracture” broken.
Jennings and Amir Johnson were really stringing together some highlight reel stuff during summer league. If either of them can convince Scott Skiles that they play the right way the Bucks could do some exciting things on the court.
I’m not sure why the Bucks still have Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. They were good pieces when the team was trying to make the playoffs but now they are getting paid more than $20 million a year to play on a lottery team. The Bucks would be wise to move both of them for young talent or expiring contracts.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:04 pm
showydisplay says:
Best joke of the day. The Bucks will be lottery bound once again. Bottom of the East.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:14 pm
rlf says:
dime!!! just FYI, tomorrow TMZ will show lebron’s being dunked on, on their site. IF you want let your boy lebron know. SAVE lebron!!!
in fact it will be shown.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:51 pm
pantherfan says:
I love the band wagon NBA “fans” dissing the Bucks cause they’ve been down for some years. I look forward to seeing Milwaukee disappoint those hoping the team fails. And seriously, move this team to Seattle?! Seattle didn’t give a crap about losing their own team, they hardly deserve a new one.
Back in the early 2000′s it was sellout after sellout at the Bradley Center. That’s what winning does. Watch any NBA team that’s sub-par and you see the same thing… a mausoleum of an arena with boring fans. If they put a quality product on the floor, you’ll see lots of energetic people in the seats. Look no further than the Brewers to see how this town supports its teams when worth watching.
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:31 am
Martin McFly says:
Brandon Jennings will become Stephon Maurbary! Thats why even the knocks didnt draft him.
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:21 am
Octopus Jonny says:
B Jennings is the real deal. Despite what the media has done to convince you he’s not a great kid with a strong head on his shoulders, he’s just that. Everybody in the Bucks’ organization is totally gaga over him, and for good reason. They absolutely STOLE him at the 10 spot and with that chip on his shoulder, he’s got even more motivation to prove everyone wrong. Young Money is going to be an absolute BEAST in the league and he’s also the most exciting thing to happen to the Bucks since the Big 3. Alexander will not start at SF, Mbah a Moute will have the starting spot on lockdown this season and in the future barring some sort of miracle (for Joe). Sucks, I really liked him coming out of WVU and had hoped he wouldn’t be totally lost in the speed of the NBA game.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:33 am
Michael says:
Did the Bucks pay you to write this article?
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:34 am
MSkittle says:
Bogut is really good inside, too.
July 22nd, 2009 at 10:52 am
high release says:
The Bucks are must-watch for me because I’m from Milwaukee. And now that the Suns are done, that’s all I need.
The Green uniforms are slick. The red ones have to go.
Thank you for the Seattle Pilots.
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:21 pm
doc says:
I dont think they’ll be good,but Jennings is the shit.
July 22nd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Darkness says:
i don’t know why it’s so hard for these gm’s to see that talent is as important as the coach’s system to match the players’ stength’s
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
JCARR says:
Still not going to watch the Bucks
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Justin says:
I am a bucks fan and am very excited to see this team next year. Some of the points in the article are dead-on. The Bucks will have to play at a break-neck speed next year with Jennings, (hopefully)Sessions, Meeks and Redd in the backcourt. I foresee a lot of transition 3s being fired off by both Meeks and Redd from Jennings and Sessions.
The Bucks do have a legit center when healthy, but he rarely is.
Due to that, the Bucks will try to wear out the other team’s bigs with pace. Amir Johnson, Joe Alexander, Mbah a Moute, and even Gadzuric will form a front line that can run.
I am not sure how many games they win, but they should be one of the more exciting teams doing it. Which is more than they have been for a while.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
james p says:
I think the bucks can make the 7th or 8th playoff spot next season if some players step up. I remember watching the bucks when they had the big 3 (big dog, ray allen, sam cassell). It was fun watching them then. We even got to the conference finals that year but was barely on tv.
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Jeff Luedtke says:
MayBe the Bucks Sould Trade M.Redd?
July 24th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Bulls Mania says:
Bucks are going to be scary good in a few years. Bulls and Bucks will be battling for the top of the Central, LeBron or no LeBron in Cleveland.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
bucks fun says:
trade brandon jennings for jason kidd that would be a good trade i think
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:29 pm
The Bus Bandit says:
Wow…this article was right on except it missed on many of the players that would make this team hot. Funny that ESPN is taking other games off of its schedule to slot the Bucks (Bucks at OKC on Friday).