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Thursday Notes: Mbah a Moute in town, more Jefferson talk, free agency rumors

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  • Tom Enlund reports on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute's introduction to Milwaukee.  Head over to the Sportsbubbler where Dan Walsh delivers the Luc video. If you're still wondering why the Bucks took LRMaM over Chris Douglas-Roberts, read the following quote.
    "I love playing defense. That’s the best part about basketball. Defense wins championships, and I’m proof of that. Ever since I’ve played basketball, I’ve played for a program that put a big emphasis on defense and I’ve always been successful at it, so I’m hoping to do the same here in Milwaukee."
    The cynic in me says that we heard similar talk when Desmond Mason, Michael Ruffin and Royal Ivey were signed last year, but Mbah a Moute has one thing going for him that those guys didn't have: Scott Skiles. And the whole Cameroonian royalty thing. That won't hurt Luc's case, either.
  • Bob Wolfley is doing his best to get to the bottom of the Richard Jefferson situation.
  • The Philly press names Charlie Villanueva as a possible plan B should the Sixers fail in their pursuit of Hawks' RFA Josh Smith.
    If the Sixers make an offer to Smith and the Hawks do match it, Stefanski would likely try to nab a power forward such as the Trail Blazers' Channing Frye, the SuperSonics' Chris Wilcox or the Bucks' Charlie Villanueva via trade.
  • Meanwhile, AZCentral.com reports that the Bucks are among five teams interested in former Hawks PG Tyronn Lue.  Lue's a very solid backup who had some of his best moments lighting up Steve Blake and Mo Williams, but it does seem interesting that the Bucks would be interested in using some of their limited free agent dollars on a PG when they already have Mo Williams, Ramon Sessions and Charlie Bell on the roster.  Perhaps they're preparing to trade one of those guys?
  • Now that it's over, I've been trying to find some time to write in more detail about the Yi Jianlian era, but fortunately Don Walker is already all over it. Yesterday he wrote that the Yi trade suggests Herb Kohl really is letting John Hammond call the shots, which was one of the first things I thought when the deal went down.
  • Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald sees promise in the Bucks offseason, but says there's still work to be done.
    Now Hammond must find a way to exchange Mo Williams for a point guard who will pass the ball inside once in a while. Miami showed interest in Williams last summer, and the Bucks made a mistake by not sending him south. Williams is a bad fit next to Michael Redd.

    Some might say Kirk Hinrich would be a good match for Milwaukee. But even if the Bulls move Hinrich this summer, they would want more in return than unfocused power forward Charlie Villanueva, which is about the extent of the Bucks' assets.