Posted by:
gwoelfel on
December 26, 2008 at
8:54PM CST
BY GERY WOELFEL
The timing, to say the least, is interesting.
With the Milwaukee Bucks playing their best basketball of the season, having won five of their last six games, one of the last things you'd expect is personnel changes.
But the Bucks will be adding a player to their mix today when veteran guard Damon Jones joins the team in Milwaukee. And more changes could be in store.
Jones was acquired in a multi-player, multi-team trade in August, but has stayed away from the team after he and the Bucks mutually agreed he wasn't in their plans.
Bucks officials even conceded they were trying to trade Jones and there was even speculation they would pay a portion of his $4.4 million salary for this season.
But the Bucks haven't found any takers for Jones and now apparently have had a change of heart about him helping them in some manner.
Bucks coach Scott Skiles had little to say about the decision to bring in Jones besides, "I know Damon is a high-level NBA shooter. That's where he's kind of made his mark.''
Mark Termini, Jones' agent, was also rather tight-lipped about the situation.
"We'll continue to explore all options ... in a positive manner,'' Termini said.
Jones, 32, played for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. He was then dealt to the Bucks in a trade that also brought Luke Ridnour and Adrian Griffin to Milwaukee.
In that same transaction, the Bucks sent guard Mo Williams to Cleveland and Desmond Mason to Oklahoma City. The Thunder also obtained veteran forward Joe Smith in the deal.
While all of the aforementioned players have played for their respective team this season, Jones hasn't. He's been inactive for all of the Bucks' 30 games while working out first in Las Vegas and then in Houston.
How much Jones plays for the Bucks could hinge on the health of guards Luke Ridnour and Charlie Bell. Ridnour was sent home from practice Friday with flu-like symptoms, and he has also been bothered by back problems.
"Nobody knows how hurt he's been,'' Skiles said of Ridnour. "He probably shouldn't have played in several games.
"But he's an unselfish guy, so he played anyway.''
Bell, meanwhile, has also been plagued by an assortment of injuries, the most prominent being his knee and ankle. He hurt his knee against Utah Tuesday night and didn't practice Friday.
Bell said it was unlikely he would play Saturday night against Detroit at the Bradley Center, not because of his sore knee but because of his surgically-repaired ankle.
While Bell and Ridnour have health and injury issues, Tyronn Lue doesn't have either. But Lue's status appears to be up in the air as well. It is believed the Bucks have an offer on the table from the Los Angeles Lakers for Lue, with the Bucks receiving veteran big man Chris Mihm in return.
There have also been rumors that Lue could be dealt to Oklahoma City, perhaps as part of a package deal with teammate Charlie Villanueva.
The Bucks are looking to solidify their power forward position and the Thunder have three power forwards that may interest the Bucks: Nick Collison, Chris Wilcox and Smith.
Villanueva has played well this season, averaging 12.9 points and 6.7 rebounds -- despite playing only 22.6 minutes a game.
But Villanueva's minutes have recently taken a nose dive.
"I played four games in a row of 30 minutes or more,'' Villanueva said after practice Friday. "Then, the next four games, I'm under 20 minutes.
"It's frustrating. I don't know what to say. But I'm not worried. We're winning, and we're not winning by a little. We've been blowing out some teams, so I can't complain.
"I just want to win.''
There has also been scuttlebutt Villanueva could be involved in a multi-player trade that would send him to Houston.
In return, the Bucks would possibly receive reserve forward Carl Landy, who was a prep star at Milwaukee Vincent High School.
The 6-foot-9 Landry is averaging 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 20.8 minutes a game.
Landry plays defense and hustles, we need Reed as legitimate scoring threat.
Posted by: cobeyco14 on December 28, 2008 10:54AM CST
Redd is not a legitemate threat he is overpaid if you ask me. Me and my brother both agreed last night that he will end up playing on another team like the spurs and he will be a mid-level exception player they never should have tried to make him more than that. He is a great three point shooter no doubt and he can put up some points but he is not a take over the game type player as soon as everyone realizes that the bucks will be better off.
Posted by: cobeyco14 on December 28, 2008 10:55AM CST
Redd needs to go
Posted by: packer21 on December 28, 2008 11:31AM CST
Sounds to me like the Bucks mgmt. is the front office that doesn't know what they are doing, NOT the Packers...but Mr. Woeful will continue to kiss Bucks butt to maintain his so called "insider"status even though nobody gives a s#it, and bash the Packers even though his information is oft times faulty and his statistics are rarely accurate... I do have a question that wasn't really answered in this post...are the Bucks paying Damon Jones' 4.4M salary at the moment, even though he hasn't put on a jersey this year? THAT is quality management...right Gery?
Posted by: pieto 66 on December 28, 2008 5:28PM CST
Trade charlie v. if you can get Landry from houston that would make sense. GO BUCKS
Posted by: pieto 66 on December 28, 2008 5:31PM CST
I think scott skiles is the best thing that has happened to the bucks in a long time.
Posted by: mark henry on April 18, 2009 6:37AM CST
There have also been rumors that Lue could be dealt to Oklahoma City, perhaps as part of a package deal with teammate Charlie Villanueva. regards, 70-290_70-291_70-431
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