Milwaukee Bucks: Fear the Deer, for Real

There is a rumor that Santa Claus is recruiting the Milwaukee Bucks for his next Christmas trip.

The deer from Milwaukee have been flying under the radar the entire offseason.

Now if you can get over that joke, here are several reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks will make significant noise this coming season.

The Bucks attacked, and they attacked early.

A few hours into free agency they acquired the services of big man Drew Gooden.

Quietly last season, Gooden compiled averages of 14.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 30 minutes of play per game for the Clippers.

Why teams keep passing on the power forward is beyond belief.

This pick provides a solid big man starter for the Bucks who could play alongside Andrew Bogut.

Upgrade to a solid front court, check.

Another solid acquisition by the Milwaukee Bucks was Corey Maggette.

Also considered over-priced by many experts, considering the contracts Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay, and even Travis Outlaw got this season, Maggette seems to be more bang for the buck than was initially believed.

Regardless, this is the small forward Milwaukee needed; a solid shooter who can get to the line and create plays.

Athletic scorer, check.

The re-signing of John Salmons was another solid move by the Bucks.

Again, some might argue he came at a high price.

But when will the world stop ignoring the fact that Salmons is a 20-3-3 guy who hardly turns it over and consistently knocks down the three?

He is also an underrated passer and playmaker.

He is more athletic than people believe and is able to create his own shot or get others involved.

Playmaker and solid shooter, check.

Milwaukee created a solid starting lineup of Jennings, Salmons, Maggette, Gooden, and Bogut.

But it did not stop there.

The team went ahead and solidified its bench as well.

It was able to snatch Chris Douglas-Roberts for basically nothing.

CDR was a solid player when given the minutes in New Jersey, and he is able to play everything from point guard to small forward.

Also, Larry Sanders has opened eyes in the summer league as a solid big man off the bench.

With former starters Ersan Ilyasova, Luc Mbah a Moute and Carlos Delfino now coming off the bench, the bench looks as solid as it gets.

And let’s not forget there is an expiring contract with the name of Michael Redd still in Milwaukee.

While Redd has a chance to become a solid contributor again, he is more likely going to be used as trade bait to add another big man and point guard to the roster.

Going back to last season, Milwaukee was one of the most consistent teams on the road, and they did it with starters who will be on the bench next season.

Scott Skiles made a strong case to be Coach of the Year last year, and he only will get better next season with more talent.

 By the time November rolls around, plenty of teams across the NBA will have to fear the deer, for real.