The NBA season doesn't start for another two months, but fans start asking questions (especially of a 26-56 team) as soon as the last buzzer of the season sounds.
Here are five questions that the Milwaukee Bucks will have to answer over the course of the NBA's 82-game season.
1. Can the new John Hammond-Scott Skiles regime save the franchise?
I think that they have nowhere to go but up. The two Larrys (Harris and Krystkowiak) had no foresight and no passion, and Milwaukee's performance on the court affirmed it.
The work Hammond has done thus far is encouraging. Only ESPN's Bill Simmons could have done better.
He's traded away a disgruntled Yi Jianlian, an expiring contract with Desmond Mason, and solved a backcourt chemistry problem by sending Mo Williams to Cleveland.
He already had Charlie Villanueva to replace Jianlian. He picked up former All-Star Richard Jefferson from New Jersey to replace Mason, and Luke Ridnour, a true point guard that won't take shots from Olympic gold medalist Michael Redd, comes over from Seattle to run the offense.
Fans won't know how the Skiles hire will go until the season begins. Frankly, though, it won't be hard to improve on Kristkowiak's performance, and that's all Bucks fans ask.
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2. Will Andrew Bogut live up to the monster contract he signed this summer?
Is 14 points, 10 rebounds, and nearly two blocks per game enough to garner this much money per year for a center? I think it is.
Ever since being drafted first overall in 2006, Bogut has gotten better in every season and has quietly become one of the better centers in the league. John Hammond has rewarded Bogut for his hard work and dedication to his franchise, and it's now up to Bogut to break out in 2008 and become the kind of player I think he can be: a 20 point, 12 rebound per game center.
3. What will the rookie forwards contribute this season?
Milwaukee drafted two athletic forwards in the draft during this offseason. Joe Alexander came from West Virginia and had 17 points per game in his final season and single-handedly took his team to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Prince Luc Richard Mbah A Moute came out of a very successful UCLA program that had seen the Final Four in each of his three seasons with the team. He also was the Freshman of the Year in the Pac-10.
The addition of these two players can only help the Bucks. Both are capable scorers and Mbah a Moute will help Bogut bring down big rebounds.
4. What about the bench?
The two aforementioned rookie forwards will undoubtedly contribute heavily off the bench. Ramon Sessions showed promise last season as an effective backup point guard and Charlie Bell will be expected to score while Redd rests.
The biggest problem is depth at center. After Bogut, the Bucks have Dan Gadzuric, Francisco Elson, Jake Voskuhl, and Michael Ruffin, all of whom are considerably less talented than Bogut.
5. How will the Bucks finish the season?
As I said earlier, the only thing the Bucks can do this season is improve. With a new coach and three new starters that are all improvements over what the team had before, I think the Bucks can push for a .500 season. This might not sound that great, but they do play in the Eastern Conference where a 37-win team makes the playoffs happen.
Conceivably, the Bucks could squeak into the playoffs, but many fans would be happy if the team finished with better than 30 wins. My prediction is a 34-48 finish for the Bucks and a ninth place conference finish, just missing the playoffs.
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about 1 month ago
Hopefully Ramon Sessions can have a great NBA career and that the Bucks have a decent season with all the talent they have.. if they play as a team
about 1 month ago
Good insight Tim. I really really like the trade for Richard Jefferson. It doesn't, but almost does, make up for trading Ray Allen away and it will for sure pay off. I have to say that I didn't agree with trading Mo and DMas though.
Desmond Mason and Richard Jefferson throwing allly-oops to each other was going to be the next TMac and Vince carter tandum, but I'll live. The Bucks just signed Mo to a five year contract last season while he was developing chemistry with Michael and scoring at the same time.
I do agree about Bogut, although I never though he was a first OVERALL selection, he should put up the numbers this season, 20 and 12 is a solid guess. I didn't quite agree when you said that Dan G. is considerably less talented than Bogut. He might be 7 years older, but they guy has ALWAYS played with energy, and I acutally think he will start alongside Bogut for most of the season with Charlie V. coming off the bench. He's just a more solid, all around player while Charlie is more of a scorer.
I wouldn't say that too much emphasis should be placed on the two kids they drafted, if they can contribute that's good, but they depending on how much success they have this season, they won't be playing big roles.
We'll see how Luke Ridinour runs the show, he doesn't have any key quality that makes him fit to run an NBA offense, but I still think he can have the effect that Delonte West did when he went to the Cavs last season. Maybe not score as much, but dish the ball the Michael on the perimeter and develop a relationship with Charlie Bell in the backcourt.
I would say the big question that you're leaving out, which you sort of covered, but how will the big men play? We know that Mike and RJ will bring the crowds, but will the big men be able to get a rotation down, pull down the boards, and dominate the paint like they should?
I really think that is the question that will determine how they finish the season. I'm gonna go higher than you too Tim. I think they do make the playoffs with the Skiles', don't take attitude, play defense or get out, mentality, with Michael Redd and Bogut making the allstar team and the Bradley Center filling up every weekend home game to watch the Milwaukee Bucks put on a show.
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