Michael Redd Wants Out Of Milwaukee, And I Don’t Care
Photo. Stephen Hill
For the casual reader that sees the above headline, they wouldn’t be surprised. Not because the Bucks currently sit 13-18 after starting the season 8-3, but because January is the coldest month in Milwaukee (with high temperatures averaging 27°F). Sure, of the 50 largest cities in the United States, the Brew City has the second-coldest average annual temperature (next to that of only Minneapolis), but weather aside, Michael Redd has finally had enough. I hate to say it Bucks fans, but he wants out.
“I do feel like I have to figure out where I fit with this team now,” Redd tells HOOPSWORLD. “My thing is, I want to win. I want to win regardless of anything else. I want to win, to play on a contender, and I feel like we had our chance earlier in the season when we went 8-3, but we’ve slipped since then. We’ve got to get back to where we were at the beginning of the season and keep fighting.”
Now I don’t want to point out the obvious, but doesn’t Redd seem like a guy who’s throwing rocks inside of his glass house? Injuries limited him to just 33 games last season, and so far this year, Redd has only loggged minutes in 15 contests. Maybe he’s just pissed that of those 15, he’s only started in nine. Maybe he’s just pissed that the front office has decided to spend their money marketing the future (Brandon Jennings) as opposed to his 30-year-old self.
I’m sorry Michael, but I have no sympathy.
After the 2004–05 NBA season, Redd had a chance to “win regardless of anything else” and “play on a contender.” But rather than sign for less money to play for his hometown team (and with some guy named LeBron), he decided to re-up with the Bucks to the tune of six years and $91 million. Not exactly a smart move if you ask me.
But hey, who am I to tell a guy to pass up millions of dollars. (I’m not.) But I am the guy to tell you to keep your mouth shut when things aren’t exactly going your way. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you stayed in Milwaukee, so sleep in the bed that you made yourself.
The bigger question is this: If I’m one of the other 29 NBA GMs, why would I even want to trade for him? After tearing the ACL and MCL in his left knee last season, Redd is shooting just 35% from the field (the worst since his rookie year) and averaging a measly 12.1 points per game (the worst since his sophomore campaign). And worst of all, for a guy considered a three-point specialist, Redd is just 15-53 from long range.
I have to admit though, last game Redd showed some progress. In a win against the Thunder on Sunday, he dropped 27 points (3-of-7 from beyond the arc) to go along with seven rebounds and two assists in a season-high 43 minutes. For Mike’s sake, he can only hope this continues. Not only for the Bucks’ playoff chances, but if his dream of playing on a contender is ever going to come true.
What do you think? Should the Bucks trade Redd? If so, what team should make a move for him?
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January 5th, 2010 at 11:07 am
POPPI GEE says:
To old and to injured. He better make the best of things in Buck-town cause I don’t see where else he can go cept prolly Jersey.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:21 am
QQ says:
He finally realized that it’s Brandon Jennings’ team now? Reality can really hit you… damn…
January 5th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Coop says:
Poppi,
Learn to spell then tell me why the Nets would take him given that he has a player option for 10/11 and they worked so hard to get space for the 2010 FA crop.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:31 am
LovETheGAme says:
30YRS OLD IS TOO OLD? WTH
I agree that he burried himself in the situation in Milwaukee..but I think he is still a legitimate threat! He’s a scorer and any contender could use him!!!
I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s Brandon Jennings team…yet! They need to find a way to play together
January 5th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Patrick Cassidy says:
@LovETheGAme:
Nah, the Bucks are clearly not Redd’s team anymore. It’s on him to fall in behind Jennings and Bogut. Austin Burton and I always talk about how it looks like Redd is out there trying to convince himself otherwise.
- PC
January 5th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Aron Phillips says:
@LovETheGAme
I’m not saying 30 is too old, but it’s sure as hell not young! Also, he basically has one leg. While I’d like to believe that he can still shoot, the numbers don’t lie! 15-53 from long range is dreadful!
January 5th, 2010 at 11:48 am
POPPI GEE says:
Coop, sorry buddy I don’t know you.
Yea his 30 is like 37 now days lol. It ain’t looking good for Redd and I have him on my fantasy squad too, might have to let ol boy go.
I thought about Houston but that would be like having McGrady right?
He pretty much stuck, cept for New Jersey prolly lol.
January 5th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Celtics10 says:
Yea I rooted for Redd cuz I thought he was a decent player an professional, but u can’t cry about a bad situation especially when u not helping to make it better. If he was avg 20 plus 5 an 5 40% from 3 then I would listen but he looking bad in games he look like he 4 steps behind let alone 1. Time to face facts, all ball players have to at some point.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
isotope says:
Now that’d be funny if he wants to go to a contender and the team sends him to NJ instead. lol.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
the_don_mega (reppin the 3 stars and a sun) says:
@ GEE – cat must be a newbie here…
January 5th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
eyes says:
He needs to go to Denver or Phx even L.A. Tim Grover you have a patient that needs you. He has at least 3 yrs left on that body. He didn’t come back in shape. The Bucks probably need a better or more modern staff. This is why I said no one wants to play in or for Mil. Sad but the truth
It was Brandon’s team when they were winning. Funny he said that. It was when he wasn’t playing and cheering & coaching from the sideline. He did choose to stay for the money. Valid argument. This isn’t a playoff roster.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Sho-Nuff says:
He should have gone and played with LeBron.
Money and the cars………
January 5th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
Mike is having a tough time getting back to game shape after a lazy offseason. He doesn’t have the body type to not constantly be working out. Maybe the game against the Thunder was just an illusion (like the one against the Lakers), but it looks like Mike is starting to get comfortable playing the role he’s been dealt.
Also, he’s not crying to get out of town, in the same article he says he’d like to win with Milwaukee.
Now, as a Bucks fan, I wouldn’t mind seeing him leave and I know a lot of other Bucks fans feel similar. I don’t want to Bucks to just give him up for garbage though, as Redd still has value in this league. Sure, he’s overpaid for what he does, but when healthy he’s one of the better scorers in the game and can hurt you from anywhere on the court; from driving and getting to the line to midrange to bombing from three.
If Mike Redd from the Thunder game is here to stay, I wouldn’t mind keeping him and letting him expire after next year. If he’s going to string together a few vintage performances and then blow out a knee again, I hope we can ship him out before the wheels fall off.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
kudz says:
he should just make a living as big boi’s stunt double…shine blocca
January 5th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
foxsportswriter says:
good article, it’s been awhile on DIME
January 5th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@ says:
Ummm… am I the only one that doesn’t really see where he ever says he wants out? His comment addresses getting THIS team back to being a contender, not moving to a team that’s a contender.
I see Octopus agrees with me.
Can we stop taking things out of context and getting players in trouble fot things they never said.
That said… I’m sure he wouldn’t mind being traded to a team that will play him.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
@ says:
Ummm… am I the only one that doesn’t really see where he ever says he wants out? His comment addresses getting THIS team back to being a contender, not moving to a team that’s a contender.
I see Octopus agrees with me.
Can we stop taking things out of context and getting players in trouble for things they never said?
That said… I’m sure he wouldn’t mind being traded to a team that will play him.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
Exactly @, Redd doesn’t ask to be moved. He acknowledges that trade rumors are part of the biz and that he’s willing to accept whatever happens, but that he’d prefer to make the Bucks a winner.
I have no complaints whatsoever with Michael Redd the person. Just his contract and some of the shit he’s pulled the past few years as the “leader” of the team.
If Mike Redd in 09/10-10/11 can mimic Mike Redd 04/05, I’d LOVE to keep him on the squad because nobody outside of Bogut and Jennings can score the ball on this team.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
chris says:
bucks are 13 points a game worse when redd is on the floor than when he isn’t, according to 82games.com; there are only 11 comparably bad players in the whole league this year (>15 minutes/game average);
-11 – boris diaw and hakim warrick
-12 -tj ford
-13 jj hickson
-14 ryan hollins
-16 troy murphy
-17 maurice evans and monta ellis
-18 jeff green
-19 shannon brown
-20 drew gooden
suck it up and shut up, mike redd, or get out of the way.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
Toni Kukoc was right …before he retired he complained about certain players on the team going into games with a delusional sense of their skill set
January 5th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
if redd continues to ‘itch about this, then jennings should continuously feed redd the ball and show the world how redd is a shell of his former self
(sam cassel did this to kendall gil, after gil, behind closed doors, constantly complained to the coach about sam-i-am’s shot volume …that game kendall gil shot a horrible % and at the same time shut him up)
January 5th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
TJ 2 says:
i say trade him and danny G to houston for T mac or to orlando for bass and someone else.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Redd has no right to demand anything. Most overrated player still active on an NBA roster. Period.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Jay says:
Right there with you. I’ll never have any sympathy for players who bitch and moan about losses when they chose to play for a loser just for a few more millions. Sure millions of dollars is nothing to scoff at, but when it’s a choice between $14 mill a year for a winner compared to $15 mill a year for a loser, you’re NOT a competitor if you go for the extra change.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
Michael Redd knew full well when he signed that contract that the Bucks would be a borderline playoff team at best unless they got extremely lucky and drafted a LeBron clone. He signed for the money, and now that he’s 30 he wants to be moved to a contender. It’s standard MO for these faux superstars. Their agents probably explain the whole “process” to them when they sign the big contracts (“Take the money now and we’ll get you traded to a contender in 4 years”).
January 5th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
KrewznLA says:
Micahel Redd is a nice 3rd-4th option at this point. He was never a #1 number one scorer. Ever!!! Could he drop 40 on a given night? Sure. But he was gettin AI treatment wen that was happening. Micahel Redd needs to do as Ray Allen did and be wat ur good at. Shoot! One of the ugliest pure shooters we go in the game.(sorry I usually love lefties shot)But the last thing he needs to be doing is running and asking to be traded. He took on the challange of being the “MAN”, instead of someones Sidekick and now its time to hoop MIKE! Shut up and play.
January 5th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Octopus Jonny says:
Sounds like there are only 4 or 5 posters that actually read the article with these “he shouldn’t be asking for anything” comments…
January 5th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Redd needs to go have a 2nd crack at Cleveland. They’re always on the look out for (pretty) old, washed out, has-beens there.
January 5th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
Rare Air says:
Good, send him out C.O.D. – Dude is just trash, but nobody wants to touch his god awful contract right now. Time to clear out and make this about Jennings and the future.
January 5th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
the cynic says:
if Redd wants to win he should sit on the bench, Bucks have a winning record when he doesn’t play and they suck when he does
January 5th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
johnsacrimoni says:
Read between the lines Octopus Jonny
January 5th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Boogie says:
Cosign @Octopus Johnny…
“Obviously, you want to win every game, and at this point in my career I know there are more games behind than there are ahead. We’re still in playoff contention, and feel like we can make it if we continue to fight and get back to what we were doing earlier in the season. I’d like it to happen for me here. I’ve been here for ten years and this organization deserves a winner and I’d like to be here for it. I don’t pay much attention to trade rumors. We all know that’s part of the business. I just focus on doing my job and keep playing. Whatever happens, happens. I have a great relationship with management, they know I’m still coming back from injury, and we’ve just got to keep working hard.” – Mike Redd
January 5th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
POPPI GEE says:
@ the_don_mega (reppin the 3 stars and a sun) lol prolly
January 5th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Alpha Goat says:
The write up says everything I would about Redd but I do wonder who he’s hating more right about now Brandon Jennings Scott Skiles or himself
January 5th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
RC says:
Redd is a one dimensional shooter (who cant shoot anymore) with no defense. If he wants to help the Bucks win he should start playing tough and help with the boards, slash inside and use his bulky frame to bully some smaller guards. The guy just waits around the 3 point line and expects to get fed the ball all the time. Doesn’t even cut in and out to free himself up. Bucks wasted money on this guy, lesson: Do not put your franchise’s future on one dimensional players. Another example of one dimensional players who got paid big is Corey Magette.
January 6th, 2010 at 12:38 am
Pet Society Help says:
“he decided to re-up with the Bucks to the tune of six years and $91 million. Not exactly a smart move if you ask me.”
I see 91 reasons why resigning was a smart move. These guys get taxes 50% of their earnings since their in the higher earning bracket. NBA title in this day is just a bonus in my opinion.
January 6th, 2010 at 3:01 am
Brettman says:
would the Lakers consider trading all of their expiring contracts – Ammo, Brown, Fisher, Powell and Mbenga, if so Bucks would buy out Fisher and Lakers could get him back cheap, I am not a Lakers fan, but can see them being interested
January 6th, 2010 at 11:58 am
JP says:
Redd doesn’t want out. Read the whole interview…
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14866
or my take…
http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/01/06/michael-redd-doesnt-want-out/