Milwaukee Bucks (2009-2010) Team Outlook

The Milwaukee Bucks will look to rebuild this season with the addition of young athletic players (Brandon Jennings, Hakim Warrick) and the potential emergence of Joe Alexander and when you couple that with a now healthy All-Star player in Michael Redd and a also returning healthy and promising former first round pick in Andrew Bogut, then the potential is there to build a young core who will be able to challenge for a spot in the playoffs in a few years.

Scott Skiles returns as head coach and he will again stress defense first but has stated he will also allow the team to run and make mistakes in order to grow. Expect many training camp battles to arise on this squad as the only two solidified positions are C and SG with the other three positions open to all comers. Luke Ridnour looks to start off the season at PG as Skiles has a dislike of playing rookies but has seemed to take a liking early to Jennings as he has displayed a strong work ethic and the ability to hold his own on defense and may remind Skiles of himself with his uncanny ability to pass the ball.

Carlos Delfino was brought over in a trade to shore up the SG and SF positions and will provide a lot more offense then Mbah a Moute and will be looking to carve out a permanent spot in the league with a breakout year. The Power Forward spot is the other position up for grabs with veteran Warrick and Ilyasova battling for the right to start. Warrick is more athletic and a better rebounder but Ilyasova is more polished in the shooting department and cares more on defense.

It should be a fun camp to watch as the intense battles play themselves out and none the less it should be a excited season filled with many loses but loads of potential for the future as well.

Projected Starters:

PG – Luke Ridnour – Starter until Brandon Jennings proves he is able to take over the role or if the season is a wash very early as expected. Able to score if needed but cannot guard opposing players very well. Ridnour is a solid shooter who possesses enough skills to keep the defense honest but also has many defensive deficiencies that he must improve on if he is going to hold off Jennings for the starting job.

SG – Michael Redd – Coming back from injury and expecting to be a leader for the young buck’s team and regain his All-Star form. Redd is a very prolific three-point threat (career 38% 3pt shooter) and will look to return to his high scoring form as the first option on offense.

SF- Carlos Delfino – Out of the league last season but is looking to build off of his 07-08 campaign (With the Raptors) where he averaged 9.0 ppg and is looking for a second chance to prove he is a force on offense.

PF – Hakim Warrick – Coming off a so-so season with Memphis but was not a part of their plans and is looking to become a much improved offensive producer for this young team. He scores well down low but must look to rebound better if he wants to win over coach Skiles. Warrick will start due to the low scoring option that Mbah a Moute provides.

C – Andrew Bogut – Bogut is also looking to come back from injury and looking to become the second option on a limited offensive young squad. He looks to build on his career high in FG% (57.7%) and rebounds (10.3 RPG) and also return to 2007-2008 form in scoring (14.3 ppg)

Bench:

Luc Mbah a Moute – SF/PF – Started most of last season when Charlie Villanueva was injured and underperforming. Luc is an exceptional defender but does not offer much offensively other than hustle points and occasional put backs. Luc will earn major minutes with his intense ability to defend in the post and on the wing and will look to get better on offense and crack the starting lineup full time.

G – Brandon Jennings – Rookie guard who performed well in summer league play (8.3 apg), very quick with the ball and offers exceptional potential for a young team looking for a leader. Brandon looks to be a favorite of Coach Skiles as he likes to play decent defense and works hard and should look to play many minutes by mid season. Jennings needs to work on his jumper and if he does that, he will be something special.

G – Charlie Bell – Bounced back last season after a rough previous season and provided solid results off the bench and filled in nicely when Redd went down with his knee injury. Charlie will look to have a similar role this season as the first guard off the bench but must prove that he can consistently play defense and hit the open shot when needed.

G – Jodie Meeks – Rookie guard who offers great potential on offense, especially when shooting the ball from deep. Jodie will look to gain spot minutes as a 3pt threat when needed, looks to provide a similar role as Redd did his first season behind Ray Allen(be a spectator and learn from a key veteran and hone your shot and breakout next season)

G – Roko Ukic – Under achieving guard who spent last season backing up Jose Calderon in Toronto and looked like he needed another season overseas rather than as a backup. Ukic will look to be bought out if he does not get consistent minutes at PG. Roko struggles on defense quite a bit and does not possess better skills than Jennings or Ridnour and will find it hard to break into the rotation and most likely will be sent to the D-league.

F – Joe Alexander – second-year player who is looking to make a mark on the young team this season as last season for Joe was easily forgettable as he struggled with his shot and the pace of the game. Did not look much improved in summer league but will get plenty of chances to show what he can bring to the team.

F – Ersan Ilyasova – Returns after a two year hiatus from the league (played the last two seasons in Spain) Has solid shooting skills all the way out to the 3pt line and will contribute on offense (6.1 ppg in 14 mpg in 06-07 nba season) but won’t offer much defense. Ilyasova is lanky and is said to possess a good basketball IQ and has turned out to be a strong player overseas as he is a consistent contributor to the Turkish National Team. The question is if he can translate his international success back to the NBA game and carve out a niche as a solid role player and part time starter if needed.

F – Walter Sharpe – Injured most of last season with Detroit but will look to show flashes with solid athleticism but won't offer much in limited minutes. Sharpe will look at the D-league for a showcasing of his skills. He is limited offensively and he has major knee problems which could provide problems on defense. Also suffers from Narcolepsy which could contribute to his limited IQ and the ability to learn the playbook.

F – Kurt Thomas – 14-year veteran who will look to provide a veteran force to a young team. Thomas will offer solid rebounding and defensive toughness while mentoring the young big men and will provide the grit that Skiles admires and in that case will pick up valuable minutes late in games.

C – Dan Gadzuric – Solid role player who has strong rebounding skills and he will look to make the most of the limited minutes he will receive by using his toughness and hustle to contain opposing teams post players.

C – Francisco Elson – Solid veteran who offers a good mid range jumper for a big man, and will look to battle Gadzuric for spot minutes at center.

(RFA) G – Ramon Sessions – Young Guard who is a very gifted passer and is able to get to the free throw line at will but must improve his jump shot and also prove that he can provide solid results throughout a full season. Ramon is a restricted free agent still in limbo as he will not come off his contract demands even though he has two solid offers from the Clippers and Knicks but must be sure that the offer is high enough that the Bucks won't match. The bucks are $1.8 million away from the Luxury Tax and most likely will not match unless it's for a trade. Look for Ramon to sign with the Knicks as soon as they can unload a player to get lower under the cap.

Projected Season Finish: 21 – 61 – 15th in the eastern conference