Off Season of Turmoil Coming?

Kidd has royally ****ed this team up.  He personally engineered the MCW trade which is nothing short of a disaster.   I also agree with the sentiment questioning his effort and desire as a head coach. 

This team has enough talent today to win 45-50 game in the East.  Instead they are tracking to 35 wins.  That's unacceptable.  

I'm not sure there is a better starting younger trio of Giannis and Jabari and Middleton.  Kidd is pissing it away.  

I do not know- maybe. The MCW trade cannot be measured yet. Sure the early returns are poor. But MCW has always been a project. And while Knight certainly was valuable in Milwaukee, has his presence made the Suns a winner? They're about to blow that team up (again). 

The trade for MCW may ultimately be a bust- but it doesn't mean keeping Knight would have been a better move. This off-season MCW has a chance to flip the script. 

Whats far more concerning to me was the team's pathetic commitment to defense. What was a top 3 defense a year ago became a bottom 3 defense this year. The secret wasn't so big- penetrate, kick out for open 3s or more penetration, no none will be there to help. 10 Giannis' and 8 Parkers can't overcome that. 

But it will be the moves this off season that will set the table. Can they get some shooting (from without and within)? Will they get a better bench? Will their bigs commit to rebounding? If the answers are yes, it's go time. If no? Then all of them get canned...

Well, doesn't it appear they may need defensive help then?

All the quotes from Kidd and the owners/management is that they need veteran help to solidify the defense. More veteran players and a better bench may get them back to 2014-15 levels, but I don't know about beyond. Henson is intriguing and is certainly getting paid to be an elite defender m/rebounder, but it hasn't translated. Monroe simply isn't a defender. He's an offensive player. 

And still in the back of my mind, the trade deadline flirtation with Dwight Howard just might be what they're talking about behind the scenes this summer. They have the $$$, he would fit a need. 

Not sure how I feel about it- he's been a chemistry wrecker everywhere he's been. But at the very least, he is what Monroe  isn't. And even with Henson, that's a 3 man rotation at C/PF that would theoretically be pretty effective.

And he may get rejuvenated with a young roster like the Bucks. He would benefit from the explosiveness of the Bucks Fs. And if Miles Plumlee can produce with this team,  Howard is at least an upgrade from that. And the biggest hope is that the Kidd factor would get his head straight. 

But nothing matters until this team can shoot. 

Howard would be a tremendous asset to any team, but he'd have to like taking a supporting role in the Tim Duncan circa-2016 like mold. He is down to about 8-10 shots a game the last 2 years, but my sense is Dwight likes being the main man too much to not wreck chemistry. Of course if he shot better than 49% on free throws it would make things easier.

While we are discussing this, has there ever been a more unselfish superstar than Duncan? The guy is clearly one of the top 10 players in NBA history and this was his line last night in another Spurs win.

0-1 FG, 3-4 FT, 9 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Block, 26 minutes.

One of the best players of all time is willing to play in a playoff game where he gets one shot attempt? Kobe was a great player, but the contrast is dramatic. Kobe wouldn't wait 15 seconds to get his first shot attempt up. ESPN turned Kobe's last year into the equivalent of a deification. They barely talk about Duncan.

The only player I can think of that has been as underappreciated as Duncan is Kareem. We justifiably hear about Jordan, Bird, Magic, and Lebron, but we can go months of NBA telecasts and pregame shows without hearing Kareem mentioned. I think Kareem could come out in street clothes after surviving cancer at 69 years of age and hit a sky hook over most centers in the league today.

Music City posted:

All the quotes from Kidd and the owners/management is that they need veteran help to solidify the defense. More veteran players and a better bench may get them back to 2014-15 levels, but I don't know about beyond. Henson is intriguing and is certainly getting paid to be an elite defender m/rebounder, but it hasn't translated. Monroe simply isn't a defender. He's an offensive player. 

And still in the back of my mind, the trade deadline flirtation with Dwight Howard just might be what they're talking about behind the scenes this summer. They have the $$$, he would fit a need. 

Not sure how I feel about it- he's been a chemistry wrecker everywhere he's been. But at the very least, he is what Monroe  isn't. And even with Henson, that's a 3 man rotation at C/PF that would theoretically be pretty effective.

And he may get rejuvenated with a young roster like the Bucks. He would benefit from the explosiveness of the Bucks Fs. And if Miles Plumlee can produce with this team,  Howard is at least an upgrade from that. And the biggest hope is that the Kidd factor would get his head straight. 

But nothing matters until this team can shoot. 

Buddy Hield or Denzel Valentine would be good fits who might be around at #10. I don't think the Bucks need to get into the top 3 to get the type of player that could make a huge difference.

Would Ben Simmons do them that much good when they already have Giannis and Parker?

Do you take Ellenson if he falls to 10? I didn't watch Marquette play this year, but is Ellenson basically a Frank Kaminsky type? If he can eventually be a stretch four that can hit 3s, he'd also be a good fit.

I hadn't gone to a Bucks game in a long long time (Maybe 2004 or 2005?).  This season, I went to 3 of them, and even though the team wasn't living up to expectations, I really enjoyed watching the young guys on this team.

I really hope the right buttons are pushed this off-season because there is real building material on this team right now.  The young guys are all good prospects and likeable. 

The draft is a cherry on top if this team lives up to it. Their big 3- Giannis, Jabari, and Middleton- are the blocks to build on. They all have to take the next step if they're going to win. They have to control the tempo, the offense, everything. 

They have to be able to shoot. 

Not sure I get the whole "GM in waiting" thing...

http://m.jsonline.com/sports/b...532z1-381228211.html

I have read rumors about Hammond reunited with some old Detroit personnel guys in New Orleans. Perhaps that's the way things will go. I'm surprised by all this, but the ownership better be right about this and the acknowledged Kidd extension...

Love this kid...

http://www.eurohoops.net/featu...win-the-championship

Assuming the Bucks can keep the Big 3 together and continue to add talent there is no reason to believe they can't at least go deep into the playoffs the next 5 years.   The West is loaded, but the way the Bucks play actually fits more of the Thunder and Warriors mold. 

They need to get another shooter- even as a role player.  I also think they need another athletic big (sorry, Monroe is not the answer)- someone like Serge Ibaka. 

Then they need some good fortune in terms of player development - perhaps that's a Henson or Vaughn- to step up.  They don't need to be superstars but guys that can come off the bench and make an impact. 

Their core is scary... Long, athletic, and capable of being elite at their positions. 

A lot of times, championships in the NBA comes down to having someone who tilts the field, if you will. Jordan, Larry, Magic, Dirk, now Curry... They were nightmare matchups.l, and if they were on it there's nothing you can do. Or a complete team... Like Detroit or Miami, or San Antonio. 

The Bucks could have that. Giannis with his length and ball skills. Parker and his scoring and explosiveness. Middleton with his length, defense, and shooting. 

The pieces are assembled- they better have the right guys to develop them...

Giannis to me could easily become a Durant or Curry type impact player because his athleticism and length and quickness (for his size) is so unique.  Parker and Middleton aren't in the same category, but they could evolve into very good starters and you need that as well. 

I don't think Giannis is a scorer. Parker will score more points than he will. But Giannd is an "everything" guy. He'll fill the stat sheet. 

Parker is the guy that will be your killer. You saw it in the second half of the year. Once he settles down, increases that 3 point range... 

I wasn't so much calling out his scoring ability.  My point was that he's such a unique combination of athleticism and skills that (I think) will make him a nightmare to defend ala Curry and Durant. 

Durant is basically a 6'9" shooting guard - that alone makes it very tough to match up.   If they continue with the Giannis PG experiment I think he could revolutionize the position much in the way Magic did given his size and ability. 

Either way, I think the Bucks are close to becoming a real force in the East.  They could use a little more veteran presence and depth but the needle is definitely pointed up. 

What they need is Anthony Mason.

Uhhhg... And I was on board with that deal, too. What a disaster.

I don't know how I feel about it, but the Dwight Howard thing looms this summer. On the surface, I can see it. But it would also mean then cannot keep Monroe- Monroe at PF can't work with the way this roster stacks up. Neither player will accept a bench role. And if I had to chose, having seen Monroe now? Howard is more of what they need. Dudes 30 now... He's feeling that sense of urgency. Not nearly as dependent on getting the ball to be effective. And the scoring will be coming from the big 3, not the post- and Monroe is a good scorer in the post, but not much else. 

The really want bye resting me be will be at G. Giannis can't always play PG- they need another option. A veteran willing to give up some cash to win a ring (s). 

Mase was a disaster just like Jason Caffey 

Monroe is a good player but he's a bad fit with this roster.  He doesn't defend and is more of a half court type of guy.  This team is built to move the ball and speed up the tempo 

No to superman (small s intended)