Is it a problem when one of the rites of summer in the NBA is European players getting injured?  Pau Gasol went down with a broken finger on Monday not too long after Tony Parker was called back to America to rehab an ankle sprain suffered while playing with the French national team.  Parker has since returned to his team, but you have to think NBA teams with international flavor are constantly worrying about what will happen next in the summer.  When many players are relaxing, developing their games or working with trainers, many European players are spending their time in intense environments putting mileage on their bodies.

And that’s one reason I’m feeling much more optimistic about the Bucks injury situation for the upcoming season. Read more…

Situation de Ramon Sessions has reminded us how painful and agonizing free agency can be.

Allow me to amend that.

How painful and agonizing RESTRICTED free agency can be.  Over the last decade or so it seems like the Bucks have had as many restricted free agency haggles as anyone in the league.  Some of the players have signed with the Bucks and turned out for the better.  Some had their contracts matched and we thank the NBA gods for that.  Some resigned with the Bucks and left us asking why Larry Harris was still under the organization’s employ.

The hassles of waiting a week are no fun, but on the plus side it gives us bloggers and other writers a weeks worth (and sometimes much more than that, right Mr. Sessions?) of material.  Today I want to revisit the Bucks recent restricted free agent history and see how it worked out. Read more…

As the Ramon Sessions situation continues to drag on we continue to have more and more takes on it.  Examples:

• The Clippers may be throwing their hat back into the ring to challenge all comers according to Gary Woelfel.

• In Woelfel’s piece he mentions the Kings as being a potential newcomer in the game.  Cowbell Kingdom “doubts it.”

• Knickerblogger thinks of the potential Sessions addition as the Thomas Jones to Chris Duhon’s Leon Washington.  At least I think that is who he means for each, as Jones is better than Washington and ditto Sessions to Duhon.  Though, Washington has effectively played the change of pace back role the last couple years, so maybe in terms of being young and talented and able to do some things better that would be Sessions.  Regardless, he has a nice rundown of the Knicks point guard targets.  I don’t think it’s much of a question about who the best player for them is, rather who will allow them the best chance at financially competing for stars next year.

Alas, we cannot allow Sessions and Mr. Chubby Wells to dominate all of our Milwaukee Bucks news.  Three other snippets:

• This went down while I was still on vacation, so I didn’t link it or comment on it, but I’m not really sure how to take the news of Ulice Payne stepping down as chairman of the Bradley Center board.  Payne has been a proponent of renovations or blowing up and starting over with regard to the Bradley Center and has received little help.  We all know the future of the Bucks in Milwaukee  is directly tied to whether or not a new building appears or the Bradley Center magically transforms into a more profitable venue.  Payne’s departure may mean nothing or it may mean a lot, either way something has to be done with the BC in the next five years if Milwaukee expects to keep the Bucks post-Herb Kohl.  I’d love to know if Mr. Payne thinks the Bucks have much time left here.

• 32-33 wins is to be expected this year for the Bucks according to Dime Magazine.  I’ll wait to see if Sessions will be back or not before I throw my prediction out there.

• Charlie Bell is nicely filling up the space in the community that was opened up when Charlie Villanueva was not brought back.  Bell has long been the Bucks player rep and a leader on the team, and has stepped up his already active community profile.

Tuesday was schedule day in the NBA as the public got a look for the first time at how the upcoming NBA season will play out on the calender.

Let’s dive right in. Read more…

First a surprise: It was nice out in Milwaukee today.

Second is not a surprise: Ramon Sessions status remains up in the air.

(Sigh.)

• Word is that the Bucks aren’t making it easy on the Knicks.  According to Newsday, the Bucks are willing to match an offer of up to three million, and it seems like the Knicks aren’t uber-excited to push an offer up too far past that level.

There is one caveat that Walsh must consider in this pursuit: A source with knowledge of the Bucks’ thinking said the cost-conscious team most likely would match any offer up to $3 million per season.  A sign-and-trade has not been discussed at this point.

• Notable in the excerpt I’ve chosen from said Newsday article is that a sign-and-trade has not been discussed.  If that’s accurate it does not surprise me.  As I’ve said many times before, the Knicks have virtually nothing of value to offer the Bucks for Sessions.  The idea of getting David Lee is fun, but improbable as explained thoroughly by Frank at BrewHoop.

Here’s something I’m not hearing much about with the Sessions situation, but is getting more logical by the day: accepting the qualifying offer.  Any time a player chooses a one year deal as opposed to the security of a four to five year contract it’s a calculated risk, but it has to be up for consideration at this point for Sessions and his agent.  Sessions qualifying offer is valued at somewhere between $1 and $1.5 million.  If he played on that deal for one year he’d be an unrestricted free agent following the upcoming season.  Let’s take a look at the pluses and minuses if he were to go that route. Read more…