Monday Morning Media Roundup: May 8th, 2017

We’re now a few weeks removed from the end of Milwaukee’s season, and if we’ve learned anything, it is that things can get a bit boring when you don’t have Bucks basketball to look forward to. I mean, sure, we’re no longer trapped under the crushing desolateness of winter, can watch people hit balls with bats (if that’s what you’re into), and still have the NBA Finals and NBA Draft to look forward to. But that just isn’t the same as knowing that on any given night you’ll probably see a Giannis Antetokounmpo windmill dunk or two.

Is it the end of October/early November yet?

Anyway, until they’re back on the court, we’ll keep tabs on what other media outlets are saying about the franchise at large. This week, we’re offered a recipe for future team success, find out if John Hammond is still Milwaukee’s GM, and look at draft workouts.

Let’s roundup!

How to fix the Milwaukee Bucks in four easy steps (FOX)

If there is one thing I’ve learned in my short stint casually watching basketball, it is that most teams need more than four moves to be fixed. Generally, things are a bit more complex than that! However, this piece has some merit in determining needs and opening up discussion with what is to be done with current talent.

For example, one of the suggestions is to utilize the D-League (G-League?) next season as a team built completely around Thon Maker’s talents. The thinking goes that by working him in a system fit to boost his strengths, he’ll round into a consistent NBA player more quickly. An interesting thought experiment at the very least.

John Hammond, Jeff Weltman among candidates to run Magic's basketball operations (ESPN)

Last week Thursday, general manager John Hammond met with the media for some postseason rounding up of his own (which we duly covered here). Adam noted in his piece that there were rumblings about the Orlando Magic’s interest in Hammond as a potential candidate to run their basketball operations heading into next season.

Hammond has been mum so far on the topic, and with the 2017-2018 season left on his contract, he certainly would be expected to stick around in Milwaukee. However, at a minimum this serves as a reminder that the Hammond-era is probably coming close to its end one way or another.

Get ready to hear more of assistant GM Justin Zanik’s name heading forward as the supposed GM-in-waiting as John’s contract comes to a close.

(Follow-up on above original story from ESPN can be found here)

You Haven't Heard The Last Of The Bucks (The Jump)

Hey, look, some podcast talk about the Bucks! And you know what? There’s even some speculation about the future of head coach Jason Kidd in here.

The offending statement was uttered by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst who implied that Kidd’s future heading into the off-season is, quote, “up for discussion”.

Feeling conspiratorial? If so, publish your theories in the comments!

Bucks to evaluate NBA, D-League options at combine (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

We’ve already begun our coverage of the draft prospects being brought to Milwaukee for workouts, but it is important to remind everyone that, indeed, the Bucks will need to find a way to fill out a full roster (including selecting two two-way contracted players) for their affiliate in Oshkosh, WI.

Each pre-Draft run-up includes a variety of players perhaps considered to be on the far edge of the bubble in regards to their NBA prospects, but these workouts have increased urgency because of how many slots need to be filled. GM John Hammond has shown himself to be an okay-to-great drafter, and if he can find a few more gems in the D-League rough, he’ll go yet another long way to setting this team up for future success.

This off-season could be the difference-maker of catapulting the Bucks into contention or a condemning once more to the purgatory of low playoff seeding. Can this current group with some tweaks be enough to push the team over the top? Only time will tell (but trust me, we’ll vigorously debate it in meantime).

I’ll admit, I feel a bit of a chill inside knowing that I don’t have a week of games to predict the outcome for. If you’ve got any suggestions for what I can give you all horrible wagering advice about in the off-season, share it in the comments or get in touch!

With all that being done with, we hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you, enjoy yourselves, enjoy the weather, and as always:

Happy Monday!