- Check out John Hammond's post-season presser above. One thing I'm feeling a little worried about is the Bucks' posture toward Ramon Sessions. Normally, a team that has any interest in keeping a RFA will come out at the beginning of the summer and talk a big game: they're going to match any offer, and that's that. Of course, they're largely just trying to keep other teams from even putting in the effort to lure the guy away, and it usually works.
The Bucks of course have a problem in that other teams know they have two RFAs and the capacity to probably keep only one. Not offense to Charlie V, but at this point at least I think Sessions would be the obvious guy to retain. But instead of coming out with a hardline on re-signing Sessions, the Bucks aren't really pumping up their interest in either guy. It's just been a lot of talk about wanting to bring them back while acknowledging that it will be difficult financially.
I'm hoping that this is largely a game of wait and see--no doubt the Bucks will be working the phone intensely in June and July, regardless of where they pick in the draft or who they end up picking. If they don't pick a point guard in the draft (and especially if they land a big), then I think it will be time to change their RFA tune. Because right now the message is this: go ahead and give Sessions an MLE deal, because we might not match it. Considering Sessions can't sign a deal with a starting salary above the MLE, daring another team to give him those dollars would be fairly foolish. It's fine to be open-minded for now (it keeps open the possibility of keeping CV, too), but when push comes to shove the Bucks better be careful that they don't embolden another team to steal Sessions away from them.
- Tom Enlund and the Bob Boozer Jinx offer dueling Bucks report cards. I'm trying to finish my own season wrap-up as we speak, stay tuned.
- Head over to the Bucky Channel for their second annual Bucks Survivor series. I'm going to tab the Fresh Prince as my favorite, and I'm voting Salim Stoudamire off the island this round.
- Draft news and notes:
- At DX, Demar DeRozan headlines a mediocre class of small forwards. Based on the little information I have, I'd be pretty excited about DeRozan but I'm skeptical the Bucks will have a chance to pick him. DX also has an in-depth look at Blake Griffin and the power forwards.
- Among the bigs who've dropped their name in the draft pool is Kentucky's Patrick Patterson. He might yet opt to return to school, but he's one of the few productive power forwards in the draft not named Blake Griffin.
- Current meaningless projections for the Bucks (10th): UNC point Ty Lawson (ESPN), Louisville combo forward Earl Clark (DX), and Syracuse point Jonny Flynn (NBADraft.net).
- DX's Jonathan Givony interviews Pitt rebounding machine Dejuan Blair.