John Hammond?

[mu-rara]

Not a big NBA fan, so I don't follow it that closely.  Interested in the thoughts of those that follow it more closely, particularly the Bucks.

Was trading Harris and Lamb a mistake?

Should Bucks keep Jennings?.....Not sure if he makes the players around him better?

[4everwarriors]

Let's put it this way. As a GM, Hammond's toupee sucks. F*ckin' could make better basketball decisions.

[🏀]

Thought this was going to be about the great John Parker Hammond.

[MUfan12]

Personally, I think he's incredibly overrated. All he does is flip expiring contracts. The deals he gave Maggette and Gooden were awful. Thought he overpaid for Ersan as well.

But, he is executing the franchise's vision. Be just good enough to sneak into the playoffs once every 3-5 years.

[hairy worthen]

Personally, I think he's incredibly overrated. All he does is flip expiring contracts. The deals he gave Maggette and Gooden were awful. Thought he overpaid for Ersan as well.

But, he is executing the franchise's vision. Be just good enough to sneak into the playoffs once every 3-5 years.

Agree 100%, not sure that's the franchise vision though.

My feeling is that Jennings is way over rated, especially in his own mind. Letting him go may be addition by subtraction. I think he hurts the team with poor shot selection and selfishness. Trading harris and lamb may have been a mistake, but it is too early to know right now.

[MerrittsMustache]

The Bucks are in NBA purgatory - not good enough to contend but not bad enough to get a franchise-changing draft pick. They would have been better off trading Jennings and Ellis, sign-and-trade Ilyasova and building up some draft picks. Just blow the whole thing up and start over. Play Harris, Lamb, Henson plus whoever you draft with picks acquired from trades. Win 20 games, see if any of the young guys can play and hope to get high pick next season. Big name free agents aren't coming to Milwaukee any time soon so if they want to be relevant they need to build through the draft. Finishing 7-10 in the conference is not going to accomplish that.

The obvious question is whether the Bucks could survive in Milwaukee with an NBA bottom-feeder for 2-4 years. The way they're doing it now, they get at least 2 sell-outs against Miami to cap off the season. Good in the short-run but not in the long-run.

[jficke13]

Whether or not he wants to keep Jennings is irrelevant. That guy is gone without a doubt. He doesn't want to come back even a little.

Hammond took over in a catastrophe zone and made some good moves to build a promising young core through the draft. And then, for reasons I cannot understand, decided to hamstring the team again by signing ridiculously overpriced free agents.

Granted, I don't think Herb Kohl has any interest in the team outside of 1. keeping it in MKE and 2. using it as a tax writeoff, so it's not like there's any kind of pressure to be successful. But, frankly, I agree with whoever said he's overrated and am on board with the "Hire Bill Simmons" movement.

[hairy worthen]

Whether or not he wants to keep Jennings is irrelevant. That guy is gone without a doubt. He doesn't want to come back even a little.

Hammond took over in a catastrophe zone and made some good moves to build a promising young core through the draft. And then, for reasons I cannot understand, decided to hamstring the team again by signing ridiculously overpriced free agents.

Granted, I don't think Herb Kohl has any interest in the team outside of 1. keeping it in MKE and 2. using it as a tax writeoff, so it's not like there's any kind of pressure to be successful. But, frankly, I agree with whoever said he's overrated and am on board with the "Hire Bill Simmons" movement.

Jennings is a restricted free agent. It is doubtful and would be stupid for the Bucks to just let him walk. The Bucks can match any offer he gets. They will probably do a sign and trade deal so they can get something for him.

[jmayer1]

Whether or not he wants to keep Jennings is irrelevant. That guy is gone without a doubt. He doesn't want to come back even a little.

He's a restricted free agent. If I were the Bucks I'd be careful not to match a real high offer, but we'll see how much interest there is in him. If they can keep him at a reasonable price, I'd be for it, as long as they let Ellis walk.

[mu-rara]

Would Reddick and Ellis make a quality backcourt?  Ellis has had some good assist nights, and he can score.  Good contrast?

[wadesworld]

He's a restricted free agent. If I were the Bucks I'd be careful not to match a real high offer, but we'll see how much interest there is in him. If they can keep him at a reasonable price, I'd be for it, as long as they let Ellis walk.

Would rather have Ellis.  Then again, I'd rather completely remake the back court.  Don't like any of the guys back there.

[klyrish]

[Hards Alumni]

The Bucks are in NBA purgatory - not good enough to contend but not bad enough to get a franchise-changing draft pick. They would have been better off trading Jennings and Ellis, sign-and-trade Ilyasova and building up some draft picks. Just blow the whole thing up and start over. Play Harris, Lamb, Henson plus whoever you draft with picks acquired from trades. Win 20 games, see if any of the young guys can play and hope to get high pick next season. Big name free agents aren't coming to Milwaukee any time soon so if they want to be relevant they need to build through the draft. Finishing 7-10 in the conference is not going to accomplish that.

The obvious question is whether the Bucks could survive in Milwaukee with an NBA bottom-feeder for 2-4 years. The way they're doing it now, they get at least 2 sell-outs against Miami to cap off the season. Good in the short-run but not in the long-run.

+1

Would Reddick and Ellis make a quality backcourt?  Ellis has had some good assist nights, and he can score?  Good contrast?

No, Monta Ellis is a volume shooter.  Aaaaaaaaand he hasn't been shooting well.  I'm fine with keeping Reddick, but Ellis has to go.  Jennings is hard to say.  He flashes greatness and mediocrity.

[MerrittsMustache]

Ellis' career can go in one of two ways. He can either continue to be a volume scorer for a bad team or he can embrace what he is and become a scorer off the bench for a good team (a la Jamal Crawford).

[hairy worthen]

Ellis' career can go in one of two ways. He can either continue to be a volume scorer for a bad team or he can embrace what he is and become a scorer off the bench for a good team (a la Jamal Crawford).

Michael Redd redux. 

[Spotcheck Billy]

Reddick will sign with Orlando again after the Bucks flame out in the playoffs

[Otule's Glass Eye]

The Bucks are in NBA purgatory - not good enough to contend but not bad enough to get a franchise-changing draft pick. They would have been better off trading Jennings and Ellis, sign-and-trade Ilyasova and building up some draft picks. Just blow the whole thing up and start over. Play Harris, Lamb, Henson plus whoever you draft with picks acquired from trades. Win 20 games, see if any of the young guys can play and hope to get high pick next season. Big name free agents aren't coming to Milwaukee any time soon so if they want to be relevant they need to build through the draft. Finishing 7-10 in the conference is not going to accomplish that.

The obvious question is whether the Bucks could survive in Milwaukee with an NBA bottom-feeder for 2-4 years. The way they're doing it now, they get at least 2 sell-outs against Miami to cap off the season. Good in the short-run but not in the long-run.

I totally agree, the Bucks are in NBA Purgatory. Not good enough to be a threat in the playoffs consistently but not bad enough to build the team up with high draft picks. It's the worst place to be. Last year they were the best team not in the playoffs, getting the last lottery pick at #14. This year they're the worst team in the playoffs, and they're about to be destroyed by the Heat while receiving the 15th pick. Very rarely is there a franchise changer that high in the draft.

[martyconlonontherun]

The problem with judging Hammond is that he is paid for the Bucks to compete every year. You can tell in his news conferences that he wants to tank and rebuild the team but is under orders to try to make the playoffs from Kohl, which is stupid when you don't have a star and an overpaid roster.

That said, Kohl didn't make Hammond sign Gooden to a long-term contract.