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The Woelfel World of Sports
June 2009
Tuesday June 30, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:17PM CST on June 30, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL The Milwaukee Bucks won't be major players during the NBA free agency period, but they figure to be players nevertheless. Bucks officials convened Tuesday at their offices in St. Francis and bandied about the names of several free agents that could fit into their plans. The Bucks seemingly will be in the market for a small forward, especially after trading Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs last week and leaving them with two second-year players in Luc Mbah a Moute and Joe Alexander at the position. The Bucks could also consider signing a power forward. Despite acquiring two power forwards last week -- young Amir Johnson from the Detroit Pistons and veteran Kurt Thomas from San Antonio in the Jefferson transaction -- there is a chance the Bucks may trade the latter player to a playoff-caliber team. Some teams have contacted the Bucks about obtaining Thomas as well as veteran swingman Bruce Bowen, who was also part of the Jefferson trade. While the Bucks don't have the monetary wherewithal to acquire a big ticket purchase in free agency, they do have their mid-level exception at their disposal. The mid-level exception is worth approximately $5.7 million and, considering how numerous teams are now being extremely money conscious, it could land the Bucks a quality player. If the Bucks did use part of their mid-level exception or all of it, they would still likely have enough money remaining to match an offer made to restricted free-agent point guard Ramon Sessions, who'll probably command a starting salary between $4-6 million. Several teams are expected to court Sessions, one being the New York Knicks. The Knicks attempted to acquire Sessions last summer but their overtures were rebuffed by Bucks general manager John Hammond. Sessions, regarded as one of the more talented young guards in the league, has a great rapport with Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni and his brother Dan, who is a Knicks assistant coach. Portland has also showed interest in acquiring Sessions during the trading deadline last February. Teams can begin contacting free agents at 11 o'clock (Racine time). However, contracts can't be finalized until July 7. "We will do our due diligence in respect to our own restricted free agents and we will explore other free agent scenarios as well,'' Hammond said Tuesday night. While Sessions figures to be hotly pursued, so will his former teammate and good friend Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva, who wasn't tendered a qualifying offer by the Bucks, is an unrestricted free agent. The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be the frontrunners for the 6-foot-11 forward. Close friends of Villanueva's said he wants to play for a title-contending team like Cleveland and would welcome the opportunity to be reunited with former Bucks and current Cavs guard Mo Williams. Villanueva also has a friendship with Cavs superstar LeBron James from their high school days. The Detroit Pistons are also keenly interested in Villanueva, especially since their primary target, Carlos Boozer, will likely remain with the Utah Jazz. Toronto is another team with Villanueva on their short list of free agent candidates. Villanueva began his pro career in Toronto and his girlfriend and child currently live there. Friday June 26, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 8:36PM CST on June 26, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL Not only did the Milwaukee Bucks add a point guard to their roster Thursday, they took a significant step toward retaining another. Before the Bucks used the 10th overall selection in the NBA draft to select 19-year-old Brandon Jennings, they extended a qualifying offer to their incumbent starting point guard Ramon Sessions. The qualifying offer was for slightly more than $1 million. Sessions, 23, earned $887,000 last season. "We expected them to do that,'' said James "Chubby'' Wells, Sessions' agent. "Now, we'll have to see how the rest of this turns out.'' Sessions will become a restricted free agent on July 1. Because the Bucks presented him with a qualifying offer, they can now match any other team's offer to Sessions and retain his services. Sessions figures to attract several courters during free agency after coming off an impressive season in which he averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists in 27.5 minutes a game. The prevailing feeling among NBA officials is Sessions will likely be offered a mid-level exemption, starting out at around $5.8 million in the first season. Sessions' teammate and close friend, Charlie Villanueva, will also become a restricted free agent this summer. Villanueva, 24, also figures to draw keen interest after he had a quality season as well. Villanueva averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 78 games last season, 47 of which he started at power forward. It is not known whether the Bucks have extended a qualifying offer to Villanueva, who made $3.4 million last season. The deadline for qualifying offers is Tuesday. Bucks general manager John Hammond has repeatedly stated he wants to keep both Sessions and villanueva. However, if either player or both of them receive much more than mid-level money, it may be difficult for the Bucks to keep them in the fold without exceeding the luxry tax threshold. Wells said Sessions would prefer to remain with the Bucks. "Ramon really likes Milwaukee,'' Wells said. "Now it's just a matter of how much they want him.''
Thursday June 25, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 7:34PM CST on June 25, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL The Milwaukee Bucks have just selected Brandon Jennings. Jennings, 19, a lightning-quck point guard who played for Lottomatica Roma in Italy last season, was the 10th overall selection. Jennings averaged 5.5 points in 46 games last season as a reserve on a veteran-laden team.. The Bucks were hoping Jonny Flynn of Syracuse would fall to them, but he was the sixth player chosen, taken by Minnesota. They were also hoping Arizona power forward Jordan Hill would to them, but he was taken by the New York Knicks with the eighth overall pick. Toronto, which had the ninth pick, chose guard-forward DeMar DeRozan of Southern California.
Could Bucks land Curry?
Posted by: gwoelfel at 6:07PM CST on June 25, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL With the NBA draft about to start, here's some of the latest news and rumors circulating: * The Bucks have had their eyes on drafting point guard Jonny Flynn of Syracuse, but the word is he's going to be long gone. The Sacramento Kings, picking fourth, apparently have Flynn at the top of their wish list. Minnesota, which as the fifth and sixth picks, are now seriously looking at Flynn as well. * So who do the Bucks pick at No. 10? Some NBA officials I talked to today said it could be Brandon Jennings, who played in Italy last season after passing on going to college. Jennings is exceptionally quick and is a nice passer. However, some scouts have reservations about his shooting capailities not to mention his maturity and attitude. * One person close to the Bucks scene said there is a chance Stephen Curry of Davidson could fall to the Bucks, especially if the Knicks-Thunder trade goes down. Curry, whose father Dell once played for the Bucks, is considered the best pure shooter in the draft. * The scuttlebutt is the New York Knicks have talked to the Oklahoma City Thunder about acquiring the third overall pick. The Knicks would send David Lee and the eighth overall pick to the Thunder. The Knicks would then draft point guard Ricky Rubio, the 18-year-old sensation who is being favorably compared to Pistol Pete Maravich. The Thunder would pick UCLA Jrue Holiday with the eighth pick. * Amir Johnson, whom the Bucks acquired in a multi-team trade wednesday, showed up at the Bucks' draft proceedings Thursday night. I've been told that Johnson, who was a part-time starter in Detroit last season, was told by Bucks officials that he would be given a legitimate shot to be the team's starting power forward next season.
Friday June 19, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 6:43PM CST on June 19, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL ST. FRANCIS - Could Jordan Hill be this year's NBA draft version of Caron Butler and Paul Pierce? The Milwaukee Bucks probably hope that's the case. Butler and Pierce are two classic examples of players who were considered top five talents going into the 2002 and 1998 drafts, respectively. But both Butler and Pierce both slid and wound up being the 10th overall selection -- the same spot the Bucks will be drafting in on June 25. Leading into the 2002 draft, Butler was expected to be chosen by Denver, which had the fifth pick. Instead, the Nuggets selected Georgian forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili. It was then assumed Butler would be selected by Cleveland, which has the sixth pick, but the Cavs chose Memphis guard Dajuan Wagner instead. Both Tskitishivili and Wagner turned out to be busts. Butler, the former Park High School star, has gone on to become a two-time All-Star. In the 1998 draft, Pierce was expected to be a top five selection as well. But he wound up falling to Boston at 10, only after Denver had picked Raef LaFrentz at No. 2 and the Bucks, in a pre-draft deal with Dallas, had picked Robert Traylor at No. 6. While Traylor and LaFrentz went on to have non-descript pro careers, Piece flourished and is now one of the premier players in the game. Heading into next Thursday's draft, Hill is generally regarded as a top-six talent. In fact, at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament last month, Hill was one of only five players to be unanimously selected in a poll I conducted of NBA GMs and player personnel people to be a top 10 selection. The others were Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin, who is a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick of the Los Angeles Clippers, DKV Joventut guard Ricky Rubio, Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet and shooting guard James Harden of Arizona State. But with a glut of intriguing point guards and with several teams set at the power forward position, including Washington (5), Minnesota (No.6), Golden State (7), New York (8) and Toronto (9), the 6-foot-10, 232-pound Hill could conceivably slip to the Bucks. The Bucks are obviously aware of that possibility, and that's why they worked him out Friday at their training facility. Hill didn't disappoint. Some Bucks officials who witnessed Hill's workout -- the media was banned from watching -- raved about Hill's showing. One of them was Dave Babcock, the Bucks player personnel director. "He's a very talented guy,'' Babcock said of Hill. "He's a very smooth athlete. He has loads of talent.'' Hill not only has the physical tools to be a quality pro player, he would fill what inevitably will be a glaring hole for the Bucks at power forward. Incumbent power forward Charlie Villanueva becomes a restricted free agent this summer and it's almost a foregone conclusion he'll be joining another team. Hill, a late bloomer, showed impressive growth at the University of Arizona. As a freshman, he averaged 4.7 points and 4.1 rebounds. In his sophomore season, he bumped those numbers up to 13.2 and 7.9. Last season, Hill took his game to another level again. He registered a double-double -- 18.3 points and 11 rebounds -- something that hadn't been done in the tradition-rich Wildcats program in three decades. Hill, who has a pleasant out-going personality, believes he'd be more than a nice complement to center Andrew Bogut on the Bucks frontline. Said Hill: "I think I could come in and make a huge impact.'' * While center Byron Mullens of Ohio State put on a good show for Bucks officials Friday, and reiterated his desire to be a teammate of Michael Redd -- who was his neighbor while growing up in Columbus, Ohio -- he isn't likely to get his wish. Considered the second-best center in the draft behind Thabeet, Mullens will more likely be chosen in the middle of the first round. Chicago, which plans to bring him back for a second visit, and Detroit have shown more than a passing interest in him. "I don't think he'd be a strong consideration for us at 10,'' Babcock said. * Former University of Wisconsin standout Brian Butch has been diligently working out at the Cousins Center. Butch, who went undrafted last year and played overseas, has been working out with Bucks forward Joe Alexander under the watchful eyes of coaches Bill Peterson and Adrian Griffin. With the Bucks' summer league team already filled, Butch is hoping to latch on with another team. * The Bucks don't take their draft prospects out for dinner unless they are seriously considering picking them. Thursday night, Hill said Bucks general manager John Hammond and Babcock took him to dinner at the Pfister in downtown Milwaukee. Hill took full advantage of the freebie, ordering ribeye steak. ... The Phil Jackson retirement rumors haven't ceased but increased. The scuttlebutt is the Lakers brass -- and Kobe Bryant, in particular -- wants Mike Krzyzewski to be Jackson's successor once the latter steps down. An NBA Western Conference coach chimed in Thursday, saying Byron Scott could be in the Lakers mix as well -- if Coach K decides to stay at Duke. ... Speaking of coaches, why did Bill Laimbeer so abruptly quit his gig as the WNBA's Detroit Shock GM and head coach? One NBA executive claims Laimbeer bolted so he could become an assistant coach for Mike Fratello, if the latter lands the Minnesota TWolves' head job. ... The reports on Mike Redd's rehab from ACL surgery have been highly encouraging. Redd has been working with a trainer in his hometown of Columbus and seems almost obsessed about having his best season ever. ... Here's how one NBA player personnel director, whose team is picking in the same vicinity as the Bucks, ranks his top 10 players: Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, Ricky Rubio, Jordan Hill, Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Jonny Flynn and Brandon Jennings. The last word goes to Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Danny Granger, telling ESPN The Magazine why the Pacers should draft Hill: "We need an athletic big man. Even though he's raw, I think he can help us right away. Sometimes you have guys who are polished but they lack size or athleticism. He's got both of those gifts, so it's just a matter of matter of time. He's got a lot of potential.''
Wednesday June 17, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 12:45AM CST on June 17, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL The fluidity of the upcoming NBA draft is vividly reflected in the uncertainty surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks' top pick. Less than three weeks ago, the Bucks seemingly had a firm grip on the players they would seriously consider for the 10th overall selection. On their short list at the time were several point guards, including Stephen Curry of Davidson, Jonny Flynn of Syracuse and Ty Lawson of North Carolina. Their hit list, according to several league observers, also included power forward DeJuan Blair of Pittsburgh. But now, with the draft just over a week away, there is an increasing likelihood that none of those guards will be available to the Bucks, and that they'll probably pass on Blair, who is generally regarded as the third-best player at his position in the draft behind consensus top pick Blake Griffin of Oklahoma and Jordan Hill of Arizona. The Bucks' chances of landing Curry, whose father, Dell, played for the Bucks during the 1998-99 season, are virtually nil. The Bucks were recently informed that Curry had cancelled his scheduled workout later this week with them. The scuttlebutt is Curry has been assured by both Golden State, which has the seventh pick, and New York, which has the eighth pick, that they'll take him. The Bucks had also entertained high hopes of possibly landing Flynn, but those plans may be slipping away as well. Flynn has wowed some teams picking in front of the Bucks with not only his top-shelf playing abilities but also with his clean-cut image, engaging personality and leadership skills. Lawson's stock has suddenly soared as well, thanks to some impressive recent workouts. Once considered a mid first-round selection -- at best -- he now could be a top 10 selection as well. Jeffrey Fried, Lawson's agent, told me in a telephone interview Tuesday that several teams have recently contacted him and expressed a keen interest in his client. "There are three teams that are extremely pro-active in getting a pick in the 7-to-11 range,'' Fried said. "Two of those teams want to move up and one team wants to move down into that range.'' Fried didn't disclose any of those teams. However, it's hardly a secret that Phoenix and Portland will make a concerted effort to get into the lottery to draft a point guard. Phoenix, which has already worked out Lawson, is seeking an heir apparent to 35-year-old Steve Nash. Portland, which is expected to work out Lawson soon, is looking to upgrade the point guard position currently manned by ex-Buck Steve Blake. The Blazers are also expected to make a run at chicago's Kirk Hinrich. Lawson is scheduled to work out for the Bucks on June 22 -- just three days prior to the draft. As for Blair, he has done fairly well in his workouts but teams are still quite concerned about his lack of height -- he is 6-5 1/2 without shoes -- and his knees. He had two operations in high school. Some NBA officials now contend Blair won't be drafted until at least the middle of the first round with one player personnel director, whose team is drafting several slots after the Bucks, telling me his team would definitely pass on Blair. The Bucks seem to be one of the few teams who don't have serious reservations about Blair. They worked him out last week and are considering bringing him back for another visit before the draft, a clear indicator of their interest in him. * Perhaps the most intriguing player in the draft is Byron Mullens of Ohio State. While most NBA officials are convinced it'll take about two years for the highly-athletic 7-foot center to make an impact, they also believe it'll be worth the wait. Mullens, who has quietly creeped up the draft board, has already worked out for two teams drafting in front of the Bucks: the Knicks and Raptors (No. 9). The Detroit Pistons also have more than a passing interest in Mullens, who grew up in the same neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio with Bucks star Michael Redd. Mullens said he'll be working out for the Bucks on Friday. * Contrary to an internet report, the Bucks' aren't prepared to use their top pick on Wake forest point guard Jeff Teague. * Former Bucks GM Ernie Grunfeld isn't afraid to pull the trade trigger, and that's why rumors about him dealing the Washington Wizards' No. 5 pick are gaining more credence. I'm hearing a deal, which would revolve around Phoenix's Amar'e Stoudemire and the wizards' top pick, has a decent chance of going down. * At least one well-informed NBA informant insists that Lakers coach Phil Jackson will hang up the clipboard this summer and his successor could be Duke's Mike Krzyzewski -- especially if his highly-influential agent (Kobe Bryant) puts the heat on Lakers management. * I know Bucks officials like UCLA guard Jrue Holiday, but does owner Herb Kohl and his cronies really want to deal with his agent, Dan Fegan -- especially after the latter pulled all those shenanigans on them before the draft two years ago while representing Yi Jianlian? Fegan, by the way, also represents Louisville forward Earl Clark, who has also drawn interest from the Bucks. * The Raptors' pick could have a major impact the Bucks' pick. I've been told the Raptors want to secure a wing player via the draft and their primary candidates are Southern Cal shooting guard-small forward DeMar DeRozan, shooting guard Gerald Henderson of Duke, small forward James Johnson of Wake Forest and Clark. If the Raptors pass on DeRozan, the Bucks brass could have one interesting decision on their hands. * Bodog.com gives the Bucks a 100/1 chance of winning the 2010 NBA championship. Eight other teams are given the same long-shot odds. Only Minnesota (125/1) and Memphis (150/1) have worse odds than the Bucks. The Lakers are 9/4 favorites to repeat as champions, with Cleveland next at 3/1. * The Bucks will play their first NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks on July 10, starting at 7 p.m. The Bucks will also play Cleveland, Sacramento, Chicago and Toronto in games that will be held once again at Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavillion. Wednesday June 3, 2009
Posted by: gwoelfel at 8:27PM CST on June 3, 2009
BY GERY WOELFEL Sports Illustrated recently conducted its annual poll of Major League Baseball executives and scouts about which players they would choose to start a franchise. To the surprise of no one, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was easily the winner. Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria was second in the voting, with Kansas City pitcher Zack Greinke finishing third. My personal choice -- after Pujols, of course-- was Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer. He finished fourth in the balloting. In all, 27 players received at least a vote, including Stephen Strasburg, who hasn't even played in the big leagues yet. Conspicuous by their absences were ... Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers. How neither one of these players failed to receive at least a vote is mind-boggling, almost as mind-boggling as three voters who didn't cast a vote for Pujols. Both Braun and Fielder are young, and both have already compiled some staggering numbers. In Braun's case, he entered Wedneday night's game against Florida with a sterling .309 career batting average. Braun can also hit for power. In his first season with the Brewers, he hit 34 homers. He followed that up with 37 homers last season. Don't overlook Braun's fielding ability, either. He has made several exceptional catches in left field this season, flashing signs of some day being a Gold Glove recipient. As for Fielder, nobody expects him to win a Gold Glove anytime soon, if ever. But Fielder should be force at the plate for years to come. In the last three seasons, Fielder hit 112 homers -- a whooping average of 37 a season. There are few, if any, more feared hitters as young as the 25-year-old Fielder. If Fielder or Braun feel slighted for not being recognized in the poll, they shouldn't be. After all, two years ago New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes won the SI poll. This year, Reyes didn't receive a single vote. |
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