BY GERY WOELFEL
Journal Times
Let’s squelch these two, almost laughable rumors about the Bucks right here and now:
1) They won’t acquire Zach Randolph from the New York Knicks.
2) They won’t acquire Ron Artest from the Sacramento Kings, either.
Those rumors have been circulating on the Internet the last couple of days and, while they make for lively talk show banter, they’re simply unrealistic.
Take Randolph, for example. The guy has a history of off-court issues, not to mention $61 million still remaining on his contract. Do you think for one nano-second Bucks owner Herb Kohl would even contemplate taking on such a plump contract, much less for someone who has hardly been a choir boy?
As for Artest, the Bucks have had opportunities in the past to trade for him and wisely passed on him. While Artest’s contract is relatively reasonable -- $7.8M this season with a player op of $8.45 for next season -- do you think Kohl and Co. wants to deal with anyone as combustible and oft-times immature as Artest?
So, who will the Bucks try to acquire before the Feb. 21 deadline? That’s the $64,000 question. It’s no secret, though, the Bucks would like to acquire an athletic small forward like Golden State’s Mickael Pietrus, who not only has a small contract ($3.47M) but a willingness to play defense.
The Bucks, who are apparently open to dealing Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons, Charlie Bell or Dan Gadzuric, will have a plethora of options besides Pietrus. That’s because seldom, if ever, has there been so many quality players available before the in-season deadline.
In conversations with several general managers and player personnel directors within the last week, here is a list of some “name’’ players besides the aforementioned Artest and Randolph who could be relocated to a different zip code by next month:
New Jersey guard Jason Kidd, Philadelphia guard Andre Miller, Memphis forward-center Pau Gasol, Memphis swingman Mike Miller, Lakers forward Lamar Odom, Cleveland guard Larry Hughes, Sacramento point guard Mike Bibby, Phoenix power forward-center Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix forward Shawn Marion, Atlanta forward Josh Smith, Chicago small forwards Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni, Chicago center Ben Wallace, Denver forwards Kenyon Martin and Nene, Houston shooting guard Tracy McGrady, Seattle power forward Chris Wilcox, Seattle point guard Luke Ridnour, Miami swingman Ricky Davis, Miami point guard Jason Williams and virtually anyone on the New York Knicks not named David Lee.
Suffice to say, basketball junkies should have plenty to talk about during the next couple of weeks -- besides Scott Skiles possibly becoming the next Heat coach and Larry Brown possibly becoming the next 76ers coach.
