You know what they say about ostriches, right? Whenever faced with adversity, they don't run, nor do they fight. They simply shut out the world, and dive head-first into whatever soft ground they can find. Because nothing can hurt you if you don't see it coming, so just find that happy place and ignore anything else and la la la la I'm not listeniiiing...
Wikipedia has debunked this rumor, but I'd like them to debunk this one instead: according to ESPN's Chris Broussard, Brandon Jennings will be "strongly considering" leaving Milwaukee once his contract expires.
Excuse me while I go find some sand.
Here are the facts: since being drafted in 2009, Brandon Jennings has been the Bucks' most promising player, as well as the most compelling. Some of us love him, some of us hate him (just kidding, Steve!), and the rest of us have no idea what to make of him, but one thing is for sure: as he goes, so do the Milwaukee Bucks.
We've rehashed how disinterested and detached he seemed during the Phoenix game, and his post-game statements that night were as worrisome as they were vague. We've also made note of how much Jennings is hanging out with Stephen Jackson, who has had some run-ins with Milwaukee management of his own.
But here's the heart of the issue: John Hammond brought in Stephen Jackson to help mentor Brandon Jennings. It was a calculated risk, bringing in someone with as volatile a personality as Cap'n Jack (especially in the same locker room as Scott Skiles). And lo and behold, mentor is exactly what Jackson has done.
Jackson wants out of Milwaukee, that much is clear. He simply doesn't like it here. But with Jennings under his wing, not to mention their lockers side-by-side, can we really say that we expected this to end well? Here's the operative quote from the Broussard article:
"It has nothing to do with the city of Milwaukee or anything like that because that's where I started my career,'' Jennings said. "They've been nothing but good to me. (Coach) Scott Skiles and (general manager) John Hammond have been good to me. It's just that I'm understanding the business of basketball now.''
"Understanding the business of basketball now," means "I've figured out that I can go where I want." In my view, Jennings will only go where he feels he's wanted. Now, if you're him, and you see that Milwaukee brought you in to pair up with a center that can't stay healthy, in a system that doesn't fit his strengths, for a authoritarian coach with minimal offensive acumen and creativity, a GM that is forced to find journeymen to fill out the team, and an owner who is actively (but not effectively) shopping the franchise?
If you're Brandon Jennings, does that sound like a good environment for you to stay in?
I can't say what the right answer to this problem is, but I can say this: Losing Brandon Jennings would be the worst yet in a long string of disappointments coming from the Milwaukee Bucks. If there's any way to fix this, John Hammond, fix it, and do so quickly.