Season Preview: Milwaukee Bucks

Just in case you haven't seen it, OKC has jerseys now (they didn't tell me it was a v-neck version of the old Pistons' jerseys). I personally think they should've stuck with the Summer League ones.

On with the show.

Milwaukee Bucks

Starting 5:
PG- Luke Ridnour
SG- Michael Redd
SF- Richard Jefferson
PF- Charlie Villanueva
C- Andrew Bogut

Off the Bench
Guards: Tyronne Lue, Ramon Sessions, Charlie Bell, Damon Jones
Forwards: Adrian Griffin, Joe Alexander, Malik Allen, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Centers: Francisco Elson, Dan Gadzuric

Luke Ridnour goes from a team with 2 PGs it couldn't figure out how to use to a team with 4... something about that just seems wrong to me. Now that OKC has decided to go young with Russell Westbrook and decidedly prefer Earl Watson over Luke Ridnour he gets sent to Milwaukee, who incidentally also picked up Damon Jones from Cleveland and signed Tyronne Lue. Am I the only one that remembers that Ramon Sessions averaged 11.5 pts, 11.3 assts, 4.9 rbds, 1.5 stls on 46% shooting in about 39 minutes of play during the last 10 games of the season? We're talking about a guy with the potential to give you a 24:2 turnover to assist ratio on any given night so long as you play him. Ok, so it was garbage time, no one cared anymore because everyone knew who was in the playoffs already, so start the vet, start Luke Ridnour and play the sophomore behind him, but seriously, Tyronne Lue? My assessment; big mistake.

Sometimes this team confuses me, and because of that, I feel kind of bad for Michael Redd, I really do. I don't know if this team is in a win now mode, or if they're going for building for the later seasons. Landing Richard Jefferson for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons, understandable, even applaudable of a move. In that context though, it makes the drafting of Joe Alexander something more of an enigma, since he has tons of upside but almost no immediate impact, but he speaks Chinese! Great, that might be useful, in... New Jersey, Houston, or Los Angeles, NOT Milwaukee. All reports show that Alexander has potential, a large amount of athleticism, but really isn't very basketball saavy. Mbah a Moute I don't know a whole lot about, and I don't know that he's much of a standout, except for his name. The only reason I've even heard of him is because his name is funky. He's one of those guys that won't see a lot of playing time but when he does, the commentators will have a field day.

With Scott Skiles at the helm, I think this team has a pretty good shot at doing decently, of course, in lieu of how the Eastern Conference has improved we'll have to see how well they actually do. Additionally, we'll have to see how Richard Jefferson adjusts to getting more shots, as he'll be the second scoring option behind Michael Redd. Also we have to see if Andrew Bogut continues to improve at the rate he has been improving at and if he really does become a standout center. They're moving to a more traditional lineup, but again, I'm not overly enamoured with their options in the reserve roles. Their weakness, especially at the forward positions (Adrian Griffin and Joe Alexander? Two big unknowns who I'm leaning more towards the scrub side) is something to be considered. Desmond Mason would've been a good backup, but getting rid of Mo Williams was a good choice, and Desmond Mason was the price that had to be paid.

Maybe 41 wins? Break even we'll say. Top of the bottom-feeders in the East. I see mediocrity at best, with a few flashes of brilliance. Seriously Skiles, play Ramon Sessions.