Those of you who read the blog know that I am a huge Bucks fans. And unless you are a huge Bucks fans, you rarely read about the Bucks and people’s opinions on the Bucks. So to enlighten you, I will enchant you with my opinion on the trade that sent Andrew Bogut to the Golden State Warriors in return for Monta Ellis. If you want to read the same opinion but more eloquently written go to the Bucks True Hoop blog, Bucksketball; they do a great job.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, I read an article about the Bucks hesitation and ultimate rejection of a trade that included Andrew Bogut going to Golden State and Steph Curry and Robin Lopez going to the Bucks. I thought the Bucks should have gone through with the deal. They would have netted a potential, though injury prone star, (I know it sounds familiar) and another injury prone but young, average starting center. The only downside in this deal, besides the high probability of injuries preventing Curry and Lopez from reaching their potential, is the fact that it would have severely hampered the trade value of Jennings. I will contend though, that Jennings and Curry would have played well together and that Jennings’ departure from the team would have been far from imminent. With this deal their “young core” would have been: Jennings, Curry, Harris, Ilyasova, and Lopez. Though Harris, at this point, is a stretch to be included in everybody’s favorite rebuilding buzzword, you would have two potential all stars in the backcourt paired with a scrappy frontcourt. When healthy, this team would definitely be in the middle pack of the Eastern Conference and potentially be a part of that group of second tier teams along with Indiana and Philadelphia.
Before I bore you with what I wish would have happened instead of what actually happened, this rumor for most dedicated Bucks fans including myself, signaled that a trade including Bogut or Jennings was inevitable.
When the story broke that Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson were traded for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown, I had mixed reactions. And I still do. Before the trade was announced, I told my younger brother that Andrew Bogut was no longer a franchise center. His injuries the past several seasons no longer made him reliable, no matter how good of a player he was. Furthermore, Bogut at his best was arguably a top 5 center in the league and backup All Star. He was a player who was at the cusp of being a star, but due to injuries and age is likely never to become one. Bogut was a great Buck, a good player but an even better face of a franchise. He not only said the right things but also did the right things, things that Brandon Jennings is beginning to ignore. I really can’t say enough great things about Bogut but will end with saying that drafting Andrew Bogut first overall was NOT a mistake.
Getting rid of Stephen Jackson, for me, is irrelevant. Cap space isn’t really a big deal to a team that can’t lure big time free agents. Hopefully the departure of his negative attitude will also lead to the departure of Jennings’ sourness, but I am skeptical. Jennings’, like most people who are emotionally invested in the Bucks, is definitely exhausted with its lack of excitement and mediocre level of play.
Earlier I said that Bogut was arguably a top 5 center in the league and backup All Star. Monta Ellis, at his best, is probably a top 5 shooting guard and backup All Star in the league. Pretty even trade I guess, which ultimately is the reason why I have such mixed feelings. Ellis isn’t really an upgrade; he doesn’t really have the potential to be a huge upgrade. At worst the trade is a lateral move, and at best the trade is still a lateral move. Hammonds isn’t afraid to make these lateral moves, but don’t think it is possible in the NBA to methodically transform a perennial loser into a perennial contender. Making moves that incrementally improve your team doesn’t pay off.
I don’t dislike this trade, but I can’t say I am in love with it either. Ekpe Udoh could blossom under the tutelage of Scott Skiles and Drew Gooden. He will earn immediate playing time in the frontcourt due to his effort on defense. Ellis and Jennings could make for an electrifying back court, and maybe Ilyasova becomes that unconventional center that allows the team to play up tempo while still playing tough defense. Maybe this team surpasses the pitiful Knicks, the ancient Celtics, and the limping Hawks. What this trade doesn’t do is put them on that tier with Indiana and Philadelphia or potentially allows them to compete with Miami or Chicago.
A lot of Bucks fans will agree that they would rather see the Bucks win the lottery than make the playoffs. Really what is the difference between being horrible and average? This isn’t the NFL where parody exists. The Bucks refusal to properly rebuild and their insistence to compete for the last few playoff spots year after year allows them to do just that, compete for the last few playoff spots year after year. And this trade just perpetuates that.
