Kidd discusses Nets' tenure, Jabari discusses his role on the team, Bucks crown FIFA champion

ESPN New York: Rumors of Brooklyn Nets' desire to fire Jason Kidd "had legs"
As the Bucks were preparing to square off against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Jason Kidd was having to face questions about his abrupt departure from the state a few months earlier. We should all be close to memorizing that timetable of events by now, but this was the first opportunity for the New York media to ask Kidd about it.

There isn't a ton of new information revealed in this latest article, but Kidd does offer up a few responses to some questions that swirled about back in July.

Kidd was granted permission to talk to the Bucks in June and then was subsequently traded for two second-round picks.

"Did I want to be traded?" said Kidd, whose Bucks play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday. "I think once [the Nets] OK'd the talk to Milwaukee, that just showed, whatever you want to call it, rumors or no rumors that they wanted to fire me in December had to have some legs."

[...]

"Kidd denied seeking additional power.

"No, I don't need any power," Kidd said. "My [job] is to learn how to be a coach and be the best coach that I can be."

As tempting as it is to veer off on a Kidd discussion, it just doesn't really seem necessary anymore. Don't expect this story to go away for a while (specifically November 19th--Kidd's return to Brooklyn), but...I don't know. Something something not worth bringing up the past, or something.

Grantland | Annual League Pass Rankings, Part 1
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe released their annual League Pass rankings for every NBA team, and the Bucks came in 20th, which seems rather fair. There is a lot of promising potential on the roster, but Zach Lowe, unsurprisingly, does a great job of summing up why they're placed where they are.

"Lowe: Well, they sure as hell don't figure into the league's zeitgeist. And there's an entertainment ceiling for bad teams - even ones with freakish young guys, a potential Rookie of the Year, a shooting power forward who sort of looks like Frankenstein's monster, and the comedy stylings of a hothead who once did this upon ejection: [video of "thumbs up" ejection]

Lowe: The Bucks could, and perhaps should, outperform projections. Even so, they probably won't be playing meaningful games after February 1. And if they are, they might look to trade their way back in the standings. They do have some interesting trade pieces."

Though I don't really agree with that very last part, Lowe is right here. The shiny new promise of all these young guys will probably get buffered a bit as the year wears on, even if they do outperform projections by a little bit. Don't let that keep you from feeling hopeful, though! Keep your head up! Here's an ice cream cone!

There was also this little bit of optimism from Simmons.

"I am picking November 26, 2014, as the day when everyone collectively says, "Wait, how the hell did Wiggins go ahead of Jabari in the draft?????" The following is true: Cleveland had the first overall pick in the 2013 and 2014 drafts, but if you redid those drafts, the two Milwaukee guys (Giannis and Jabari) would go first. Bucks fans should be thrilled."

But also, this...

"They might not be as thrilled three years from now when those guys are playing for the Seattle Bucks ... but right now, they should be thrilled."

SMH.

Sporting News: Bucks' Jabari Parker: 'I have a voice on my team'
Good article here by Sean Deveney on Jabari Parker accepting his role on the team as both a rookie and a vocal leader. There seems to be a lot on the 19-year-old's plate as he starts his regular season, but he appears to be more than ready to handle it. Go Jabari.

Bucks.com | The Battle for the Milwaukee Bucks FC Cup
Last but certainly not least, four of the Bucks players got together before training camp to take part in a little FIFA tournament. Khris Middleton, John Henson, Damien Inglis, and Kendall Marshall all fought valiantly, but you'll have to watch the video below to find out the results. In addition to producing a fun video, the Bucks encourage you to enter your info for a chance to win a copy of FIFA 15 signed by the guys in the video.