superfly

I predict Kobe takes a huge pay cut and they go absolutely nuts in free agency. Kobe's words are pretty telling from recently...he wants to finish his career like Duncan and the Spurs are doing. Unless they do some massive acquiring that isn't happening.

The fact that we're sitting here anxious with hope that we might actually land him is in itself awesome. Hope our wishes and dreams come true.

The upside to having all of the RFA's is a couple of reasons. One is you have the ability to sign & trade some of them (like we tried to do with Bledsoe and I believe Teague). Second is you can have them all for the 2015/16 season to audition for who needs to be here long term. Correct me if I'm wrong, but its 125% of the previous year salary for a RFA. Thirdly, you have an asset the following trade deadline at your disposal for when contenders are looking for more pieces to add with short term salaries.

Fixed it for you.

Henson's pretty much played himself into UNtradeable status the past month. He's still flawed, but has been showing some real signs of progress as a valuable asset for us. As for Ersan Ilyasova however, if the Bucks can get anyone to take him, even if it for is very little the trigger should be pulled. We need to be done waiting for this guy to provide value, he's clogging up space & taking time away from the young guys. Constantly injured, and quite frankly stinks. Pachulia is an interesting case though. I think Kanter could fill the void of Zaza at 10 years younger and much more talented. By no means is he elite and deserving of the max contract he thinks he should have, but I'd take him in a heartbeat if we aren't parting with our assets. ZaZa is valuable to alot of contending teams (as well as our own team) & is at a fair salary. IMO Bucks should do the following (seen these rumors) if we are truly rebuilding - Swap Bayless for Reggie Jackson, who is a RFA end of year. Bayless is a known commodity, while Reggie still hasn't had a full chance at starting. Get ahold of Kanter, if it means trading Mayo or someone of the sort. I don't think the Jazz want Ilyasova but that's awesome if they do. Kanter is another RFA end of season. Trade Ilyasova & a pick to Sacramento for Derrick Williams and a piece (Sessions). Williams is another RFA end of season who has elite talent, but never put it together yet. G - Knight, Jackson, Sessions, Gutierrez F - Antetokounmpo, Dudley, Middleton, Williams, O'Bryant, Parker C - Kanter, Pachulia, Henson Knight, Jackson, Middleton, Kanter are all RFA and we can hold a sort of audition to see who wants the big contract. We do have some turnover in that scenario, but we are supposed to be building for the future anyway. Personally I think we'll stand pat or add 1 piece, but that's what i'd try to do if I was Hammond.

Bronson Koenig is a stud.

Surprised DM hasn't signed Furcal yet...that's a trademark DM move (Iztures, Edmonds, Counsell, Hairston, Kotsay, Ransom, etc)

He really did a good one on screwing this organization, that's for sure. Addition by subtraction may be worth paying him though, we don't need any of that crap around Knight, Giannis, Parker, and Middleton.

*wipes the drool off my face. Tyrone Taylor who?? If Harrison can really play CF we have 2 prime trade bait CF's in our organization (Gomez).

Strategic trades. If you can acquire a young asset like a Kanter, Bledsoe (last year), or absorbing an expiring contract like Amare Stoudamire's would both benefit us in the short or the long term. We've got a bunch of salary cap space right now to do it. Another trade rumor elsewhere I saw involved Jason Thompson and Stauskas on the Kings for Ilyasova. Thompson would qualify under the useless designation, but if it was Derrick Williams (expiring contract who could be a young asset best case), IMO that would be a great trade too. Clear the dead weight (8 million) that is Ersan and acquire 1, possibly 2 young assets to build from.

If he could become more of a swing 4/5 (he started shooting a few 3s and midrange jumpers this year) I think Kanter could be a fit for us. If it's a redundency on Sanders/Henson though we don't have room for him. He looks talented enough to start and play quite a few minutes despite his defensive deficiencies.

I'd call the Hornets up and see if they're ready to part with Stephenson now...give them Mayo @ a similar salary with one less year on his deal. Pretty apparent to me when I watch that OJ doesn't fit here, and Lance doesn't function when he is "the guy." We do not emphasize "one guy," and Kidd would keep him focused like Vogel did. I think a change of scenery would benefit both of them.

Horrible after about the month of June last year, over .300 BA against, and was demoted off closer duties. At 35 could be the first signs of decline.

Kanter plays no defense. Like none at all. Drew Gooden-esque. As for why the Bucks are winning: 80% of it is having a ton of guys who can switch and help defensively, and frustrating teams through the shot clock. Where that has broken down is against teams who will abuse those switches and teams who also play decent defense (in other words - good playoff teams). If the Bucks draw Toronto in the first round, they'll have a chance, but I don't see them having a shot against a healthy Cleveland, Chicago, Washington or the Hawks. We'll see on the Hawks..they thrashed them by 40 one night and nearly beat them the next game. Cleveland is beatable (shut Kyrie down and Love shuts himself down...Lebron can't score 75), but I don't see them beating the Bulls.

Working their GD butts off and being Spurs-Lites. If Sanders puts the weed down & becomes good/serviceable, and we make a smart trade we have a shot at the conference finals IMO with how wide open the east is.

Houston currently ranks 4th worst in the league against SG's. (2nd best vs PG's). Harden may have improved, but he is still pathetic on defense and it isn't likely to change anytime soon. That's why Beverley is valuable to the team...he is an ELITE defender.

I'll bite and give them Coulter or Arcia...if we get Dom Brown as well and they take Parra. Not a Dom Brown fan. One good year, everything else is bad. Can't hit lefties well, so he might need to be platooned. And his defense is awful. Perhaps he'd be decent at 1B. The guys obviously has potential, but it doesn't seem to have translated to the big leagues. Interesting player, but he just doesn't seem like he's going to put it together. I have read quite a bit that suggests Philly may have screwed him up by trying to overhaul his swing. How or why you do that to a top prospect is beyond me. Like another poster said, I think he needs a change of scenery...maybe he's like Gomez and puts it all together late.

I'll bite and give them Coulter or Arcia...if we get Dom Brown as well and they take Parra.

I'd go get Neftali Feliz from the Rangers (if they still want to deal him) & sign Beachy...call it an offseason. Screw Amaro and those greedy folks out in Philly.

Bucks are the 1st team in NBA history to double the previous season total win count by the all star break. As for Kidd leaving, there is no way he left Brooklyn to come to this "dump," unless he was promised bigger things. I fully expect him to end up as either part GM part coach or full GM coach/no coach down the road for us. As good as the Hawks have been, I think Kidd is most deserving at this juncture for COY, don't forget about Steve Kerr either though.

If I win the PowerBall tonight I will pony up the extra $$ it takes to make sure Moncada doesn't end up in pinstripes! With another week of workouts scheduled for Moncada, it sounds like several teams are scheduling additional follow-up workouts. I think it will be telling to see if the Brewers schedule a second workout since it would make sense to work the guy out again if they are serious about winning the bidding. Based on what I read the workouts are scheduled to be wrapped up by the end of next week and his advisor is hoping to have offers in hand by February 23rd. A second workout could tip DM's hand...and we all know how much he loves tipping his hand. (not). lol

The more I hear and read about him profiling as EITHER a 2nd baseman or a 3rd baseman the more my gut is telling me we may make a really strong bid. Assuming he'd need 1-2 years in the minors...which better be the case with how much money is being put up for him. That fits right in with when we'd be saying goodbye to Ramirez (sign him at a discount for 1 more year next offseason), then he retires and we bring Moncada up. Maybe I need to put my crack pipe down and stop dreaming, but it makes perfect sense to this armchair GM.

I'd be very careful counting on Henderson for anything at this point. Career minor leaguer who is coming off of a shoulder injury, it would be very easy for him to regress into garbage ala Turnblow.

Giannis on triple double watch...barely into the 3rd quarter. Wow

I don't see Davis as a weak point considering his salary & how it frees up money to spend elsewhere. It was only his first full season in the bigs last year and he hit 22 bombs, nearly as many doubles as Braun does, and 70 rbi's out of primarily the 6 hole. As with the rest of the team, he really nosedived after the all-star break. I'd give him another season before we start wondering if he's a weak point. He's the same damn thing as Yoenis Cespedes except a little weaker on defense, and the pundits think Cespy is the greatest gift God has given to Earth in the past 10 years.