- Tom Enlund recaps last night's win. The Bucks shrugged off all the negativity and up until the last few minutes looked like a team playing with energy and (dare we say?) a renewed sense of purpose.
"We looked pretty fresh," said guard Charlie Bell. "We had some legs out there tonight. Detroit played last night and they had a couple guys in the All-Star Game and we definitely tried to take advantage of that. We came out with a lot of energy. I mean everybody. Offensively and defensively. We really played hard tonight and hopefully we can continue to play this way."
Said guard Mo Williams, "I think (the break) did us good. Everybody got a chance to get away from basketball and that was a good thing. I think guys just cleared their heads."
- For the Piston perspective, check out Need 4 Sheed.
- ESPN's Bill Simmons is actively lobbying for the Bucks' GM job. We're not sure Bill knows what he's getting himself into--he probably wouldn't have much more say in Bucks personnel matters as the actual GM than he does now--but we here at Brew Hoop embrace desperation, so we'll gladly support his candidacy.
- Charlie Bell talked to Steve "The Homer True" on Tuesday. They rehash the summer stuff as well as his first half struggles, etc. As bad as things are with the Bucks, it's an enjoyable listen just to hear Homer and CB at least trying to be candid and good-natured in spite of it all.
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Mike Hunt continues to talk about the Bucks, but he's not feeling very warm and fuzzy.
For another, the Bucks don't exactly have coveted commodities. It's easy to say Harris should undo a couple of his mistakes by trading Bobby Simmons and Dan Gadzuric, but who would want to take on those salaries? The Bucks are into Simmons for $20.5 million for the next two seasons; they owe Gadzuric another $20 million over the next three.
If Charlie Villanueva is being showcased, it's because he is nearing the end of a rookie contract that would be relatively easy to move. Villanueva would be the most likely to go, given the need for Yi Jianlian's development.
A contender might be interested in Redd as a complementary piece, yet probably not at the roster cost to make the salaries match. Redd is owed almost $33 million for the next two years and owns his option for $18.3 million for 2010-'11. Given that the Bucks are going nowhere this season and need to begin the rebuilding process sooner than later, they just might benefit from moving Redd for a handful of players in the final year of their contracts.
- Todd Welter over at The Sportsbubbler gives his Bucks' midseason grades.
- The Bratwurst takes a look at all the Bucks trade talk that isn't happening.
Of course, this does beg the question: if Harris is as good as gone then why is he still around? Hopefully, it is because Kohl wants to take a pragmatic approach to finding a new GM, and might be interested in someone who currently has another job. I pray that this doesn’t mean he wants Doug Collins. I hope he’s planning on actually looking outside of the organization and his immediate circle of friends.
Does Larry Harris have any power left in the front office? Is he as good as gone? The answer will come today when the trade deadline passes, and if the Bucks are quiet then it’s a pretty strong sign that the Bucks’ front office will look very different right after this season ends.
Brett also touches upon his continued opposition to that pesky Zach Randolph rumor, which we concur on. It's not clear if Harris is really pushing for a Randolph deal anymore, as he apparently has to present any major offers to Kohl first anyway; the notion that he really has much of a say anymore is kind of a joke. But the Knicks are desperate to move Randolph and apparently keep coming back to the Bucks to see if they can work something out. While moving Simmons and Gadzuric is certainly appealing, there's really no benefit to consolidating those smaller bad deals into one bigger bad contract that lasts a year longer than Simmons'. And taking Jared Jeffries as well--even if it means Charlie Villanueva wouldn't be included--adds further negative value to any proposed Randolph deal. Kohl may be catching some justifiable heat for the way he's run the Bucks, but thankfully he's holding strong on the Zach Randolph front.
- What are Bucks fans to do with their team at 20-34? Start rooting for the Hornets. We promise to have more on this.
Filed under:
Thursday Bucks Notes
By
Frank Madden
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