Comments on: “Options” the key word at power forward for the Bucks

By: Kolt

Kolt — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:52:59 +0000

Looking over comments and learning more about Maggette, I agree he is not going to get many minutes at SG. I can see Delfino losing minutes to CDR this year, especially in games where he is cold or when he is on a cold streak. But these #’s below are meant for averages on the year, not every game because obviously match ups will determine # of minutes game by game.

To 4th quarter hero’s numbers. I don’t see how Salmon’s goes from playing 37 mpg last year to 28. He’ll be somewhere between 32-35 mpg which means there aren’t going to be enough minutes to go around to get both CDR and LRMAM a lot of minutes unless you take away minutes from Delfino (more likely) or Maggette. Gooden is the starting PF, every comment by Skiles says so. I also won’t like it if Skiles has a 12 man rotation regularly. Players can’t get into a rhythm if they are playing 4 minutes a half, but we have 11 guys that are going to want/deserve minutes which is kinda nice to have. Injuries will help decide rolls. The only position that we don’t have 3 guys able to play big minutes in case of an injury is PG.

PG Jennings 34 Dooling 14
SG Salmons 32 Delfino 12 CDR/LRMAM 4
SF Delfino 12 Maggette 26 CDR/LRMAM 10
PF Gooden 20 Erson 20 Sanders 8
C Bogut 32 Gooden 8 Sanders 8

Totals
Jennings 34
Salmons 32
Bogut 32
Gooden 28
Maggette 26
Delfino 24
Illyosova 20
Sanders 16
Dooling 14
LRMAM/CDR 14

Brockman- sparing minutes at 4 or 5 if we need big man help.

Thoughts?

By: Paul D

Paul D — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:20:43 +0000

I think Zeiram’s analysis, with the “what happens on the court” provisos, makes overall good sense.
I do think though that CDR is likely a “one year and out” guy since he will become a restricted free agent next year–and is likely to be in demand. I don’t think Maggette and CDR are interchangeable, even though they are both penetrating wings. And, if Maggette does not play well, his 11M contract for 2011 will not be easy to unload.
We can only suspect how Maggette will play after 10 years with losing teams–but I suspect that he will excel. He has something to prove–and everything he has said so far after the trade has been perfectly pitched. Fitting him into the team mix to maximize his value will,in some ways, be Skiles’ greatest challenge. He could have been the greatest player in Duke’s history if he had stayed for three years (rather than one). Playing out west for the last many years for sub-par teams means that we in the Midwest don’t know much about him. I lived in Illinois during the 90′s and remember him coming out of high school then–and he was absolutely great (also a track star in the long jump and triple jump, as I recall).
Backup center is still something of a question mark–the biggest on the team–but I suspect Brockman (assuming the trade goes through) and Sanders will do well this year, with Gooden also in the mix. Brockman, I think, can give some quality minutes at center. I think there is a good possibility that between year 1 and year 2, Sanders “fills out” and becomes strong enough to become a very solid backup center.
Had the Bucks just stood pat, they would not have been a 2010/11 playoff team. Now they seem to be genuinely competitive in the East. Skiles has the kind of players that he wants to have–so now we will see how good he can shape them into a winning team.

By: Zeiram

Zeiram — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:28:05 +0000

Better to many than too few, I´d say. I don´t think it is that much of a problem going forward. Gooden will propably start and baring any surprises will stay a starter for the season. However he is no longterm fix, Goodens here to bring stability in the Bucks winning ways until the PF of the future materializes. LRMAM is a stopper and he gets minutes where Skiles needs him, it´s no fix and he isn´t in a classical sf or pf rotation. So that leaves us with these questions:

1. Who is the 2. and 3. PF in the rotation?

2. What happens at the wing?

I think 1. heavily depends upon the performance of the players and their showing in training. At the moment I would say Ersan is 2., Sanders is 3. and Brockman gets spare minutes between C and PF however this could change as soon as the season starts. Either way two of the three will get rotation minutes and the third will play sporadically. Gallon should be in the d-league or at the end of the bench depending on injuries.

2. I liked the Magette move for two reasons, it was a smart salary cap move and a short term fix. If Magette plays well (solid on defense, is usual self on offense) he will be the 6th man getting starter minutes all over the wing positions. He may not be a sg but delfino, cdr and Salmons can all play sg alongside him. If he doesn´t play well CDR gets his minutes and Magette his superior trade bait in the following seasons (he is actually saving money the first two seasons). Either way Delfino starts but probably plays less minutes than Magette. CDR will be 2th on sg and 3th on sf. I think the Bucks want to get a good look at him and if he warrants it he may shoot up the depth chart soon.

So here is my depth chart:

PG Jennings – Dooling

SG Salmons – CDR – Magette – LRMAM

SF Delfino – Magette – CDR – LRMAM

PF Gooden – Ilyasova/Sanders/Brockman – Ilyasova/Sanders/Brockman – Ilyasova/Sanders/Brockman -LRMAM

C Bogut – Sanders/Brockman

Now the actual minute distribution will heavily depend on injuries, match-ups and performance. Which is a good think if you want to win games but may hinder the development of the young players.

Now what should happen is, in my oppionion, that CDR develops and makes Magette superflous. LRMAM develops more perimeter skills and after testing everyone, one of Ilyasova/Sanders/Brockman gets traded for a backup C. Ideally Sanders would bring his summer league game up to nba level and becomes the starting pf and Brockman grows some inches and becomes the backup C

By: 4th Qtr Hero

4th Qtr Hero — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:34:50 +0000

OK my thoughts, I think Sanders is the Bucks PF of the future. I think Ersan not starting in the playoffs against the hawks is proof he’s not their answer. Mbah a Moute will come off the bench to fill in at the 2 and 3. However, I think all 3 will get a shot at starting at PF before christmas. Gooden is not starting at PF. He’ll backup Bogut but most importantly (and the reason I think he was signed) he’ll teach Sanders to score wwith his back to the basket. People may argue that it’s not Sanders game but I think Scott Skiles thinks he can be taught. Reports on Sanders leading up to the draft critiqued he’s offense in the paint and Gooden’s blurb heading into free agency, has some decent offensive moves. It doesn’t all show up on court but what goes on between games will have a big effect on the Bucks chances.

I have no idea why the Bucks picked up Maggette. Not to say he’s useless but I don’t see where he fits.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:10:38 +0000

Balanced offense = 1 distributor, 3 scorers or shooters, and 1 “grunt” to set picks, get offensive rebounds, etc.

Balanced defense = 2 “stoppers” that can guard multiple spots, wherever the opponent’s best offensiver player is)

First Team
PG Jennings (distributor) 32 mpg
SG Salmons (scorer) 28 mpg
SF LRMAM (grunt/stopper) 24mpg
PF Ersan 20 (shooter/grunt) 24 mpg
C Bogut 28 (scorer/stopper) 28 mpg

Second Team
PG Dooling (distributor) 16 mpg
SG Delfino (shooter/stopper) 12 mpg
SG CDR (scorer) 8 mpg
SF Magette (scorer) 20 mpg
SF Defino (shooter/stopper) 4 mpg
PF Gooden (scorer) 20 mpg
PF Sanders (grunt/stopper) 8 mpg
C Brockman (grunt/stopper) 12 mpg
C Sanders (grunt/stopper) 8 mpg

Totals:
Jennings 32
Salmons 28
Bogut 28
LRMAM 24
Ersan 24
Magette 20
Gooden 20
Delfino 16
Dooling 16
Sanders 16
Brockman 12
CDR 8

Inactives:
Not on roster yet
Not on roster yet
Not on roster yet

D-league:
Hobson
Gallon

By: Jason S

Jason S — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:07:59 +0000

I think it would be foolhardy to hold minutes back from Sanders, but I think that may be the case. Alignment on the court must be obtained as well, and that means playing them. We’re not winning anything anyway, especially without full on-court team chemistry.

We do need another superstar C. The Lakers seem to realize the importance of adding superstar-quality players to their existing crew. I think it’s time to hit the button and make some trades for a great player. I like the direction of a two-headed monster (Bogut, ?). Do what we can with this mess I say, and throw whatever we have at a different concept–we then have that bright future to attract someone else. It isn’t wishful thinking, it’s the reality in winning. We have trade bait with nice contracts as soon as they allow. Gooden is decent, on the bench.

I do see value to our current roster, we could win the injury wars, I would love to roll with this and search for an actual shooter in the future, but Miami isn’t going anywhere and neither are a lot of teams right now in the East. Players are seeming to trend upwards in height again, and that’s just another curve; a curve we could actually try to match for once.

By: Paul D

Paul D — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:50:46 +0000

Questions:
Is Sanders going to beat out Bogut for the first string center position (and when?) or just be the second string center in perpetuity? I do think that, this year, Sanders will get most of his minutes at Center. I would expect that by year 3 he will be The PF. Sanders “model” is KG, who is not a center–and the offensive strength of his game is face-up to the basket.

(Assuming the Bucks send a 2nd rounder to Sacramento for Brockman–he has a chat scheduled in Seattle for 1 pm tomorrow), is Brockman just going to sit on the bench (noone is talking about “big” minutes for Brockman–he only averaged 12 minutes in 54 games this year)?

How can Maggette who has never, to my knowledge, played shooting guard in his life going to shift to (even a part-time) shooting guard after ten years in the league as forward? It is very reasonable to thing that Delfino, with his skill set and background-especially defensively, can get into the SG rotation?

CDR, because he is a “penetrating wing” whose approach fits in with Skiles offensive wing-centered approach to creating offense, will get his minutes (maybe 12 to 20)–the acquisition of Maggette and CDR (as well as the trade of Meeks–who was basically a jump shooter) was all about getting wing players that fit with Skiles’ offensive philosophy (and not just jump shooters, which is why James Anderson of OSU was never a draft option, but Hobson was a good fit)). Salmons and Defino were B-/C+ last year in doing this–Skiles would like to get this to B+ or A-. See Hammond’s comments in Milwaukee JS as to the significance of the Maggette and CDR acquisitions.

The most significant thing in all of this is the way in which a team is being assembled that matches Skiles offensive, defensive, and overall philosophy. By all accounts, Skiles really wanted Sanders–and got him. And he wanted more length (Sanders, Gooden, Brockman), and got it. And more athleticism (Sanders, Maggette), and got it. And players (Maggette, CDR) who could penetrate and draw fouls (so that the Bucks wouldn’t be the laughing stock of the league in that area). And, having coached Gooden at Chicago, I must assume that Skiles was happy with that acquisition. And, by all accounts, Brockman is a coach’s delight at PF/C–one doesn’t need to go far to find Westphal’s comments about Brockman. Hammond, Weltman, Skiles all on the same wave length. If the Bucks are to be genuinely competitive, that is how it is going to happen–not by getting super-stars into Milwaukee. But by alignment. And even with the departure of Redd, there will be almost no money for the Bucks(under the salary cap) to bring in stars or super-stars—so the Bucks are dealing with basically who they have now, draft picks, and additional 2-6M per year players.

By: fred roberts

fred roberts — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:08:30 +0000

I don’t see Larry Sanders as the Bucks power forward of the future at all. He’s going to play center.

Luc Richard Bah a Moute, meanwhile, will backup at small forward, with Maggette or Delfino splitting time at small forward and shooting guard behind Salmons.

Chris Douglas-Roberts will likely be caught in the minutes game; Brockman won’t get big minutes either at power forward or center.

Tiny Gallon, meanwhile, will sit on the end of the bench in a suit.

By: Paul D

Paul D — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:17:43 +0000

Maggette who played power forward and center for the Warriors last year getting 16 minutes per game at shooting guard for the Bucks (by the way, how many threes did Maggette shoot, or make, last year–or, for that matter, in his career?)??? Instead, CDR will be part of the 15 minute or so rotation (you don’t bring him onto your team and give him 3 minutes per game).
Maggette may not start at SF (if Gooden starts at PF, it would be helpful to have someone who starts at SF who can shoot threes), but will probably split minutes with Delfino.
If Brockman signs, he will get 5 minutes or so at center. I suspect Sanders will get most of the other non-Bogut minutes.
Actually, this exercise is a pretty simple one–if you can figure out where Sanders will get his 16-20 minutes.

By: pj

pj — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:04:46 +0000

Any chance the Bucks trade PF’s or two/picks for Gortat? Magic want an upgrade at PF. Lewis would go back to SF. Gortat’s contract is a concern and might be too much money for a backup center. The Bucks still need a legit backup for Bogut, not a PF who can play a little 5.
Lots of Poles in Wisconsin.