Brandon Jennings Fan Club is Officially Down A Member

He has certainly failed in the regard as well. His Assist Rate (% of possessions that end in an assist) is down from last season (30.6% last season down to 25.8% this season), and aside from the stats he really hasn’t passed the eye test with his ability or emphasis to create open shots for teammates. Certainly assists are not completely within his control, because somebody still has to make the shot, but when watching him I haven’t seen him create a whole lot of easy open looks near the hoop for teammates.

I am still more harshly critical of his inefficiency when shooting because I feel he is completely culpable for the shots he takes and misses. He either needs to get to better spots on the floor where he makes higher percentages, or shoot less and work harder to create good looks for teammates in comfortable spots on the floor. That’s what really upsets me about the comments I have quoted from earlier in the season at the beginning of the post…the coaching staff found he was a more effective spot up shooter working off the ball (which is why they have gone more 2-PG rotations with Jennings later this season), but Jennings either doesn’t agree or he just wants the ball in his hands to shoot off the dribble anyways. I’m just not sure he truly gets how to improve his game and actually become more than hype and flash.

If that statement didn’t have so many qualifiers I would be proud of myself…lol.

But seriously, I do happen to agree with you. What makes things so difficult right now is that Jennings seems to be better playing off the ball, but he is so small it is difficult to do without sacrificing defense. Ridnour and Jennings played well on the court together, and Ridnour also seemed to push Jennings hard and give Skiles another option when Jennings simply didn’t have it going. No such luck in that regard this season.

I believe Jennings has plenty to learn from both Dooling and Boykins, but he hasn’t taken advantage of learning from those guys for some reason. Dooling is a terrific on-ball defender that teach Jennings more than a few things about fighting through pick and roll. Boykins could teach Jennings plenty about creating space with a small stature and getting good mid-range looks at will. Jennings hasn’t really seemed to make strides in either of those areas this season.

Both Dooling and Boykins have things to teach Jennings, but without the same threat of taking his job the message might not be getting through to the Young Buck

This sums up exactly what I’ve been trying to say about BJ for months now – and have taken some heat for.

Of course, JUPD articulated his points much better than I have ; )

I really, really, really, hope the Bucks don’t view him as a “franchise” type player – and give him a fat extension. I thought the Aaron Brooks comparison was spot on.

Again, thanks for an excellent and very necessary post, JUPD!

TRADE HIM!!

Trade him and somehow snag a REAL PG!

Ya know, one that shoots better than 40% – maybe can run the pick and roll – finish in transition instead of taking a contested shot without even looking for teammates.

Perhaps one that doesn’t have a sense of entitlement and does have a sense of accountability???

Yeah, a PG like that would be wonderful.

Even if the Bucks draft a PG – they could trade BJ for other pieces.

I mean, does anyone actually think he’s a cornerstone-type player??? [besides Mitchell?] ; )

I don’t like trying to evaluate a player’s demeanor or attitude, but Jennings really appears to have a high opinion of himself. Everything he has said over the course of the season informs my low opinion of his approach, but I don’t discount the fact that I could be completely wrong in that portion of my assessment. Maybe behind closed doors he is humble and dedicated and very hard on himself before making any comments about others. Maybe he has been working very hard to improve his game and he just can’t get any better, Then again, a player with those type of qualities probably would have committed himself to developing his right hand over the past offseason…

Anyways, I am more critical of him being so inefficient. He is fully responsible for the shots he takes and misses. The decision of where and when to take his shots is his decision alone, and he has poorly executed in that area all season long. As for attitude stuff, I suppose that is far secondary to me if I am being honest with myself. If he was a top-3 PG and the worst teammates and human being in the entire NBA, I would probably still be ok with him because he would be helping the Bucks win.

Anyways, thanks again for reading and for the thoughtful and positive comments guys.

I first reported the comments referenced at the top of the post, and they came after a particularly frustrating home loss to Chicago during which he heard Derrick Rose MVP chants all night.

In that same post, I wrote this:

But is Jennings really not getting the ball anymore? Not according to his 24.9 usage rating, which is a close second to Corey Maggette on the team and almost identical to his 25.6 usage rating from last season. His 14.6 field goal attempts per game also lead the team, and that comes after averaging 14.8 attempts last season while playing just one more minute per game in a slower offense. As currently structured, Jennings needs to feature more prominently in the offense. But he is the point guard, he gets the ball plenty, and so it is up to him to make others around him better (his teammates are having some of the worst years of their respective careers) and do more when given the chance to shoot himself (37.6 FG% this season).

Jennings is actually not suited to be the go-to player on a "team." He would surely fare better as a second or third or fourth scorer. But he is not just on a "team." He is on the Bucks. And nothing could be more clear than this: They just do not have a go-to guy at all.

I still hold those general sentiments. Jennings was a lead scorer on a good team as a rookie, but it was not that simple. The Bucks won with a great defense and passable offense. In general, I think Jennings will be a third or fourth offensive option on a good team. That isn’t necessarily his fault — that is just who he is.

- Lack of accountability
- Bad stats
- Called out his teammates and front office in a way that only MVP-type players can get away with – and even then, it’s still not right.

I’m fully aware that he’s still a very young player, and maybe he will mature and get better – but he gave no indications of that in his 2nd yr.

The bottom line is that he’s not as good as he [and some posters here] thinks he is – and he is by no means a franchise-type player.

Alex said it best when he said that BJ is a second, or third, or fourth scorer and is not suited to be a go-to guy.

I couldn’t agree more….

but I admire Jennings passion and confidence, and yes sometimes it borders on arrogance, but I prefer a guy who has that and that can be moulded, and I think we need ambition and attitude, surely he deserves the benefit of another season too prove and show he can be a very good player for the Bucks, and in doing bring some consistent success to Milwaukee

I don’t post here often but I clearly am pro-BJ3. I thought I’d just root for Jennings because I liked his game and his story, but I ended up rooting for the Bucks because they are an underdog-something some of you have forgotten. He was the 10th pick in the draft(right?) and has done more for his team than most all rookies in that draft.

He is 21! Who would you rather have from that draft that was possible? And now think…would that player lead a playoff run? Probably not. My feeling is that the rookie chosen would be on a bucks team picking in the lottery the very next year-so he wouldn’t be hated on so much because it was expected.

Most people on here talk about the ridiculous standards but on Brandon, but then half of you give him expectations an inch below those.

No he’s not a franchise player at this point, but he’s the best the Bucks have. Go ahead fans I used to adore-TRADE HIM!
Because he has been hated on since High School and he has done pretty well for himself.
I used to think a nice place like Milwaukee would fit Brandon and create a niche, but as it turns out he doesn’t need the bright lights to be heckled by fans, he can do it here-and for a losing team.

He plays hard every night, loves the game and loves the city-but we want more than a guy who realistically Avg about 18ppg and 5apg on a team that forgot to take off the lid of the hoop every night.

Finally- I hope you guys get your wish, no team should have to deal with such a burden

In fact, I’ll buy everyone on here a round of drinks at their establishment of choice.

Just make sure it’s at a place that allows minors, so Speedy can attend : )

If Jennings shows no tangible or great improvement by the next season (Whenever that may be) I would strongly consider trading him.

He obviously has more value now than he would after another yr w/ the smae stats.

However, I’d be VERY surprised if they traded him this yr.

[But a fella can dream] ; )

Damn dyslexia

Whether you’re a believer or his harshest critic, there’s obviously some trade out there you’d be willing to take for Brandon. I think it’s easier to think about 2012 draft picks because a) we have some sense of who those guys are and b) it’s easier to make the salaries work for trade purposes.

I would definitely take a guy like Irving (+ filler) for Brandon, but it does seem like he’s probably the 1st overall pick so that might be wishful thinking. Derrick Williams is probably the other guy I would put in the category of guys I’d take over Brandon, but other than that I don’t think I know anyone in the draft well enough to comment.

Say Minny takes Barnes [I doubt they take Williams cuz they have K Love] and Irving is there for Clev at #2 – what should the Bucks offer for the pick?

I gotta think Clev would listen if Milw offered BJ, the 10th pick, and a player or two.

Regardless, I think there will be some action among the first 3 picks, and Milw has the pieces to get in the discussion.

- Poor shooter and has shown no signs of getting better

- PG “skills” aren’t really anything special – or even mediocre at this point

- His D is average IMO – and I could almost live his crappy shooting/shot selection/apg, if he was a beast on D…. but, not so much.

- Seems to think he’s more than he is, and that’s not a good sign for a young player.

There’s “bravado” and “confidence” which is not be confused with arrogance, narcissism, and a sense of entitlement – unfortunately, I see too much of the latter from BJ.

I’m not saying he’s a punk or a bad apple – but he certainly could use some humility, IMO.

AND….. How the heck does a starting PG play 45min and get 4 assists? I mean…. really…. how does that happen?

But this Jennings discussion has me all fired up!

As a student of the game for almost 20yrs, I give BJ about a 20% shot of becoming an all-star. Possible, but not probable.

Not because I do or don’t like him – not because him teammates are good or bad – but because that’s what I think of his “upside” and “long term potential”

He’s a talented, yet flawed player who’s future will be decided in the next yr or two.

Is he a future all-star or a TJ Ford clone? The answer is……. no one knows. Not quite yet.

My biggest fear is that he ventures into that Michael Redd territory….. Is he the face of the franchise that you bet your future on, or a limited yet talented player that does very little to make those around him better???

I’d love for him to be a 15/8 type guy that runs a 50 win team yr after yr – but he just hasn’t shown that he has the mind set/tools/desire/fortitiude to become that guy. Atleast not yet.

and I’m glad that the two groups can argue so cordially.

Here’s a thought: the PG position is seen as the “quarterback” of a basketball team. In football, the QB usually gets undue credit for success and undue criticism for failures. Do you think that there’s a little bit of this dynamic going on when it comes to discussing Jennings’ role/potential/etc?

And just for funsies, which NFL QB would you compare him to?

Great natural talent – but a raw work in progress.

People forget that R Wolf traded a first round pick for a raw, unproven, 3rd stringer.

Sometimes a franchise has to make a bold move to get that “special” type talent.

[thinly veiled endorsement for a move to get K Irving] ; )

Atlanta was wrong in letting go of their developing young guy correct? The team that picked him up won, right? Ergo Jennings stays.

For example, Oklahoma was willing to make an unlikely move to improve the team this season when they traded Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins. From a distance and with foresight, the deal is a no brainer, Perkins has shored up an already formidable team with a tough, blue collar edge. However, from the perspective of the Thunder, this was a huge decision.

Jeff Green wasn’t just any middling tweener forward, he was perceived as part of the core that had taken the NBA by, ahem, storm. To a less creative GM, Green might even have seemed untouchable. He and Durant were taken in the first round of the same draft, three picks away. The chemistry in OKC seemed unmatched. How do you split up brothers, especially ones that you drafted? The unenviable aftermath in Boston could have happened in Oklahoma, with the added danger of losing Durant in the years to come.

But Presti knew his team, his players and their needs and pulled the trigger. Durant is a professional, he adapted. Now his team seems to have taken that step over the line into legitimate title contender territory.

Brandon Jennings is not a bad NBA player, but at this time he is not a very good fit for this team. If we were truly rebuilding, with an eye on contending three years from now, he might be worth the wait. The problem is, he isn’t saying the right things or sounding like a player who wants to spend the next six years in Milwaukee. This may be the time to trade him while his value is still high. Right now this is a defensive minded team that needs efficient scoring, especially from range and inside. The best fit for this offense is a veteran point who is comfortable in the half court and a leader in the locker room. Brandon Jennings should be in a run and gun offense, and I don’t see Skiles doing that, even if we somehow got better pieces for that style of play.

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine

Hello again world.