qrk10000

Exactly NDOG44. The Bucks have not been shy to dish out some large contracts over the past decade, but it really has not hampered them in any way. They still have been able to resign players and be active in free agency without taking a luxury cap hit. I did the math wrong earlier when looking at the latest estimated offer from the Bucks of six years / $52 million (late night yesterday). I thought initially that it was still just for five years. Six years averages out to be about $8.5 million a season which is not drastically higher than their initial offer of $8 million per season. As Al said, this is a no-brainer. He is still being paid $2-4 million a year less than the top tier of point guards and that is right about where he should be. If he improves on last year's numbers, this could turn out to be a steal for the Bucks.

I think we need to remember that NBA contracts are pretty much all ridiculous...Gadzuric makes 6y/$36M, and he's best suited to be a 12-15 minute a game reserve. Everyone's overpaid, that's just the way it is. Gadz definitely is overpaid, but I think he gets a bad rap. They guy barely got time to play last year but when he did, he often did a nice job. I hope that Coach K works him into the offense a bit more in 2007/08 similar to the "high energy / spark plug" role he filled in the past. He is a nice guy to have in there when they want to push the ball up the court quickly.

Crazyk1294, did you ever get your situation resolved with MATC? I have had "fun" with their online instructors in the past too.

I just read that the offer was bumped up to that too. Wow. That certainly is a lot of money and more than I would pay him. It goes to show what the Bucks think about the next available options, though. They would have been better off negotiating with him during the season (maybe they tried, not sure).

I've expressed my opinion of Mo Williams on this thread and others and have provided more than sufficient backing data to support my position. If you are basing it solely on the fact that he was not a traditional point guard, consider this: When Redd went down, Mo was our offense. He had to shoot more because no one else could. I was encouraged by the fact that he still managed to average over 6 assists per game while scoring as much as he did. Also remember, he shot almost 45% from the field, and that is not bad for a point guard. That is better than Baron Davis, Chris Paul, TJ Ford, Gilbert Arenas, Stephon Marbury, Mike Bibby, and Raymond Felton. the Bucks are best off putting their money towards someone for a one year deal (which is why Francis is rated above on my list for *solely* next year) and then go after a better option the following offseason, either through FA or the draft. Take a look at the class. Baron Davis has a player option and Shaun Livingston and Devin Harris have team options (both of which would almost certainly be exercised). Next best player after them is Carlos Arroyo, hardly an upgrade. Free agency will not be an option in 2008. There are a lot of talented freshmen point guards that will be eligible for the draft in 2008, but there is no guarantee that they will want to come out or will even be good enough to in the first place. Plus, drafting a freshman point guard is certainly a project as point guard is one of the hardest positions to transition into in the NBA. Essentially the Bucks could be looking at doing the same thing and hoping someone is available in 2009 then. If Mo Williams is running the offense come the start of the season, the Bucks are going to be in big, big trouble. When Mo went down with an injury last year, the Bucks were 16-18 and still in the thick of things. When he returned, they were 18-26. Statistically, he improved in just about every category and there is no reason to think he cannot do it again this year. He has proven to be a decent rebounder for a point guard and should have more assists in 2007 with a new coach, healthy players around him, and potentially an improved frontcourt if/when Yi signs. He is only 24 too. We may want to "win now," but what would Mo Williams get us versus Francis this season? An 8-seed... maybe? Align our talent under contract for the future and acquire as needed to supplement it. ...which is exactly what we would be doing with Mo Williams. This certainly would be a contract to lock up the point guard spot for the future. It will not bankrupt us either. We have a GM that does a terrific job at shedding unwanted salary in the event that we would need extra cap space to sign someone else. I don't blame Mo at all for it. If Larry's dumb enough to offer Mo mo' money, then Mo's agent has pulled off a move of brilliance. But then when Larry does not offer him anything and Mo walks, he is seen as dumb too. It is a no-win situation for him. Part of his job is retaining key players and that is what he is doing here. Is Mo going to be overpaid? Absolutely. Are most players probably overpaid, though? Absolutely. Mo has been a steal for the past few years. Ah, but we're not asking Francis to "lead" a team, are we? We're just wanting him to keep the PG seat warm for a year. Playing point guard is leading a team. Either way, the PG options out there this season are atrocious and Harris would be ill-served offering any of them serious cash. Agreed, another reason why resigning Mo is so important.

Yes, which should tell you exactly what I think of Mo Williams as a player. Then I think you really need to sit down and reevaluate Mo Williams. He is far and above a better option than Steve Francis. He is younger, still improving, coming off a solid season, and has been a good clubhouse guy. I am not a fan of his defense and he seems to suffer from nagging injuries form time-to-time, but otherwise he has been a total steal for the Bucks and is certainly our best option at the point. I think it would be extremely foolish to let him walk and cross your fingers that we could land someone in free agency or the draft next year. That is extremely risky and could all but guarantee a losing record this year. I would bring back Steve Blake before I considered Steve Francis. Francis is a constant headcase, never could lead a team, and is not getting any younger. There is a reason that this guy has fallen from stardom so quickly. I don't see how anyone can blame Mo for negotiating with the Bucks either. Miami is a very attractive option and he has every right to consider it. The Bucks have made him a very generous offer but sometimes money is not everything. He could have a chance to play on a potential NBA championship team close to home or play for a team that is still in rebuilding mode. I personally would choose Miami if I were him.

A major renovation should be well underway, but other than what the casino has pushed, Milwaukee still looks the same as it did decades ago. Try visiting the lakefront or Third Ward sometime, Al, and then let's talk I find it interesting that despite the monumential changes to the Twin Cities, they have become some of those most crime-ridden cities in the U.S.

There is a ton of work that is going into 94 and once that is complete, I expect some new business interest to follow Then you have the renovation of the Third Ward and the lakefront, two areas that have been down in the dump but are starting to look mighty nice. Plus, we're still waiting for a decision to be made on all the old Pabst buildings. Once that is done, downtown Milwaukee really is going to look different.

I would err on the side of caution before casting judgment the whole Yi situation. This is China we are talking about and they historically been control freaks. They have quite an interest in where he ends up and I believe they are the ones holding up the process here. I can remember how the whole Yao situation initially unfolded and it took Yao a couple of years in the league before he finally essentially told the Chinese government to back off. It was not well received either. Yi is young with stars in his eyes and is playing the game that he has been told him to play. I still believe that when it comes down to it, he will tell them that he wants to sign with the Bucks rather than sit out a year. He wants to be in the NBA and Milwaukee should be a really good fit for him. I am not a big NBA fan anymore but I do think the Bucks have some talent. They got killed by injuries and poor coaching last year. Unless the basketball gods care to have fun again with the Bucks and their fans this year, I don't see that happening again. Redd and Bogut are solid at their positions. They have several options at small forward. If Mo returns, the point guard position is ready. That only leaves power forward a question mark and some of that could be answered once Yi signs. I still question their depth at point guard and in the front court, but I am encouraged by their youth and the fact that they have a nice group of players now. Someone wrote about team chemistry and that is a very good point. It is very critical in any sport, but especially in the NBA. That is why guys like Iverson still do not have rings. From my exposure to the team, I feel like they do have solid team chemistry and that could be improved even more if Desmond Mason returns. Some have called Bogut a cancer but I disagree. I think he is passionate and was frustrated with the system (or lack thereof) that Stots ran. I have been disappointed with his performance so far, but would like to see what he can do with Coach K at the helm. The same goes for Charlie V. I really like his attitude and his dedication to the community. He definitely has shown some signs of leadership since he arrived here. Last year was a wash due to his injuries but if he struggles this year. If the Bucks play him at small forward this year (or as a 6th man) I think he could make a very positive impact. I still think they need to add another front court pressense beyond Yi, but I am sure Harris has his hands full with signing him, Mo, Charlie Bell, and Ersan right now. Hopefully there will be someone left once those pieces are in place.

Amen, Invader. It is a wonderful feeling.

End, I think this is a deal that you make now solely because the longer Saltalamacchia plays and improves, the less the chance we can land him for someone like Bush. In the offseason, the Braves might be seeking someone like Sheets, Villy, or Gallardo for him, something obviously we don't want to do.

How can anyone even compare Graffy to Roberts? Graffy has never played a full season, is five years older, and is nowhere near the hitter that Roberts is. Roberts had a terrific, all-star season in 2005, a respectable, slightly above average season in 2006, and is having an all-star season this year. He hits well, gets on base, scores runs, and plays good defense. He even has been able to post a decent .OPS. Plus he does it all in the tough, AL East. I have a hard time justifying that Weeks is any better than him at this point. Roberts would be a huge addition and could be an amazing leadoff hitter for us as we march towards the playoffs.

If this rumor is true, it certainly is worth consideration. I hate to lose Bush because I think he is line to have a solid second half. However, Saltalamacchia is a heck of a hitter, is young, and is a catcher. He could also back up Prince at first base. I would like this deal even more if we could get the Braves to trade us one of their relievers too. They have some good ones.

Thanks for the info, Endaround. That stat is a new one for me. Question: does FRAA take falsely reward players (like Carlos Lee) who don't make a ton of errors but also don't do much in the field versus a guy like Hunter who tries to make an out everytime a ball is hit to the outfield? I am sure that he is not as quick as he used to be, but everytime that I watch Hunter, he still looks very good. His fielding percentage and range factor still seem to be above average too.

I am not sure how there can even be a comparison between Inman and Jackson. Inman has dominated at every level thus far. Jackson really has not nor is he much of a strikeout pitcher for his size. I hope Jackson becomes a decent reliever but at this point, I think that is best case scenario. Inman still could be a top tier starter.

Actually Al, his overall numbers certainly have not "sucked" when you take into his account his performance at A+. He certainly started slow at Huntsville but his last couple of starts have been much better. I think it is far too early to be as critical of him as you are choosing to be.

I went to a Dodger game 3 years ago and had a blast. I loved the palm trees in the background and thought the crowd was a lot of fun. J.D. Drew was a Dodger at that time and I laughed at how the fans would shout "J D Drew" in sequence with a drum beat. I believe they serve Miller products there to if that is your thing.

Hunter has declined badly defensively. Do you have any stats to back this up? The guy made less errors last year than "our best defensive outfielder", Geoff Jenkins, and has made all of one error this year. If you are basing this solely on outfield assists, than I would agree that he is throwing out less men than in the past but that is a subjective stat in my opinion. I think he would be a fine defender for the Brewers and certainly several steps up defensively from Hall.

The only way the Bucks will "lose" Yi's rights is if they trade them to another team. He is the Bucks' property until they choose otherwise.

Let me be the first to ask "who the heck is Ramon Sessions"?

Yi is happy to be a Buck I really grow sick of the news that ESPN tries to create. They have spent so much of the night talking and writing about how Yi does not want to be a Buck, but when it boiled down to it, that simply is not true. I think he will sign without any problems and give the Bucks an exciting front line with Andrew Bogut. I would have preferred Conley or Horford, but cannot argue with this pick. He was the best available and has the potential to be a very nice player in a few years.

Braun, if Golden State offered Ellis as part of package for the #6, what else would it take to get it done? Can Ellis be an NBA starting point guard? And, in the same respect, could Devin Harris?

Aracko, I think you are right that Sheets is not a good comparison to Redd, but I do think Fielder is. Money should have very little to do with how good a player it is and is one of my number one gripes with today's sports fans. Just because a player makes x amount of money, fans assume this player is a superstar (or in Fielder's case, is not). Remember, the Bucks are the ones that paid Redd his salary just like they were the ones that made Tim Thomas a rich man. Would you have these same feelings if Redd had signed a 5-year/$55 million deal instead? Maybe a better comparison would be Tony Gwynn, Sr. He was one of the better hitters of all time in baseball but his team posted a sub-.500 record while he was there and never won a World Series. Does that, by your definition, make him any less a superstar? There are probably many other players that fall under this same scenario. I am certainly not Redd's #1 fan and am aware of his shortcomings: below-average defense, doesn't pass the ball enough. However, I think that Terry Stots should share some of the blame for the latter because most of his gameplans involved giving the ball to Redd and asking him to make something happen. Hopefully Coach K will be a little more creative. I don't think, Molitor Fan, that his Terry Stots' tenure with the Bucks coinciding with Redd regressing as a total player is a coincidence at all.

Are you kidding me? The Bucks havent finished over .500 since 2002! Calling Mike Redd a Franchise player is calling your team a bad Franchise. He is a great secondary player. This comment makes no sense whatsover. That is like calling Prince Fielder or Ben Sheets a poor player just because the Brewers have not had a winning season since 1992. If anything, the Bucks supporting cast should be held responsible much more so than Michael Redd. He cannot carry a team solely on his own. Kobe Bryant has clearly proven that in recent years.

Secondary players don't typically average 25 ppg while still shooting above 45%. Redd has done that in back-to-back seasons. If you want to talk about guys that take a lot of shots, look at Iverson, Arenas, and McGrady. All three of those players have poor shooting percentages and take a ton of shots. Jason Kidd has always been a poor shooter. Even Ray Allen's FG% has dropped considerably in recent years. I don't think it is fair to judge Redd on name value either. I think Redd is definitely a recognizable name throughout the league and his stock is still going up. I talk to clients all across the country that are well aware of Michael Redd. As for the judging Redd based on the playoffs, that is just silly. Then Garnett certainly cannot be considered a star as Minnesota is a perennial 1st round bust. The Bucks, as a team, suffered a ton of injuries last year and have to constantly go through personnel changes year-in and year-out. Redd cannot be blamed for that. If anything, he deserves credit for his performance in the 05/06 playoffs when he averaged over 27 ppg and shot 52%. If you base your dislike for Redd based on his defense and relatively low assists (pretty much my major gripe with him), I can accept that. However, you have to give him credit as a scorer, a teammate, a leader, and a genuinely good guy.