The Bucks are going to miss Robinson's jump shooting,and Atlanta now have a really good chance of making it to the playoffs if Ratliff gets fit and if they get better play at the PG spot.
I agree that this is another lopsided deal. My father, who is a huge Hawks fan, kept barking the whole time I was over at his house tonight. This deal won't be lopsided if that 1st round pick turns out to be something. I wouldn't hold my breath on Leon Smith. I don't care if it was for salary cap purposes, the Bucks could hae done better than Toni Freakin Kukoc.
Isn't Karl the GM? What a maroon. I understand the Cleveland trade a little, even though it was lopsided, but this trade is a freaking joke.
This trade isn't really that bad for the Bucks. They are obviously trying to clear cap room and want to rebuild around Ray Allen since they peeked as a team two years ago and know they won't be getting any better with the squad they had.
So basically Atlanta traded away nothing (except their first round pick, assuming unrestricted...) and get the Big Dog? I know Atlanta were quite smelly last year, but surely this makes them a pretty good team - surely this trade takes them out of the lottery? SF G.Robinson, C Crawford PF S Abdur-Rahim, A Henderson C T Ratliff, N Mohammed, D Anderson SG J Terry, D Johnson, D Glover PG D Dickau, E Davis That's a pretty solid starting 5, be surprising to see them miss the play-offs barring a major injury. Crazy deal considering Milwaukee just moved behind Atlanta in the race for a playoff spot (IMO).
uh how is it not a bad trade? Glenn's contract is up in two years, they could just let him walk rather than hand him over for the crap that they got in return. I doubt that Kukoc's contract expiring will give them enough cap room to sign anyone of great significance. 2 years of Glenn Robinson > Kukoc + weak 1st rounder add to the fact that they made someone in their own conference that much better, thus reducing their own chances of making it to the playoffs. Very puzzling indeed.
The Bucks don't even own their own first round pick this year. It's going to Denver in the three-team deal that went down last summer (Kevin Willis to you guys).
The problem with this trade isn't the fact that they got rid of Big Dog. That needed to be done because Karl hated him, as well as the fact that Tim Thomas was always going to be a max-earning backup. Instead, the problem lies within the fact that the Bucks didn't add anyone who can help them this year. The Bucks seem to have a patient attitude towards winning again, as if they are almost rebuilding. Which shouldn't be the case, seeing how they nearly reached the Finals 2 years ago. And the fact that they re-signed Cassell. Kukoc is obviously a downgrade from Big Dog, but serves as a decent backup SF. Problem is that he plays even less defense than Big Dog, and is one of the most finesse players in the NBA. The Bucks now have 2 of the "softest" 6 ft 10 SFs in the league. Leon Smith is a headcase. The argument that they traded Big Dog because of his off-court problems gets negated by the fact that they are bringing in Smith. The only real gain they get is ATL's #1 pick for next year. Obviously, that won't help them at all this year, as well as the fact that Mil has strengthened a pretty-talented ATL team, who will probably make hte playoffs. What the Bucks should have received from anyone in return for Big Dog was a backup PG for Cassell. Cassell missed a lot of time with nagging random injuries, and it was disaster for hte Bucks to put in Rafer Alston. Mil chose a bad trade partner in ATL, who had nothing to give them, except maybe Ratliff. Mil should have traded Big Dog to the Knicks for one of their 20 PGs, their #1 pick for next year (if they have it), and random cap fillers.
Strange trade. Perhaps Robinson's contract was harder to unload than Milwaukee anticipated. But still, you'd think Cuban or Allen would have offered more than this... Perhaps Leon Smith will do something some day. But a high school kid is always a risk. And gambling on Smith is like betting on a horse that not only lost its last race, but broke its leg in the process. Kukoc... looked really good towards the end of the year before last, which is why he got an extension. If he can play like that again, he could be useful. Anybody know how protected that 1st rounder is?
Doesn't it seem like another shoe needs to drop? What gives? Does Milwaukee have a MCE to offer someone? I wonder where Mc Innis goes. They really need a good backup pg and a center.
Would Milwaukee have to use their MCE to re-sign Redd? If so, then they are screwed. Mil would be best served to re-sign Redd, which would most likely mean they wouldn't have their MCE, I believe.
Robinson's not an undersized PF, an undersized swingman, or a crappy shooting guard in a point guard's body! The Knicks wouldn't want a player who actually has a defined position and ability at that position! Redd is a restricted FA and has Early Bird rights, so Milwaukee can match any offer up to the midcap exception for his services, as well as offer him a contract for up to 6 years starting at that amount. With the free agent market out there, Milwaukee's just waiting for a team to make an offer (or not) to seize the opportunity to keep Redd. Unless they play him in the SL alongside Allen, though, he'll never reach his full potential.
mf-Right when the season ended, I figured that Redd would be a hot commodity, and a team with cap space like the Bulls or Clips, would go hard after him, and offer just more than Mil can. I knew that Redd was a RFA, but Mil can't outbid the Bulls or Clips past the MCE. I also figured that Redd would want to leave in order to become a starting SG. However with the lack of attention placed to him, I have to wonder if he has any options at all, other than re-signing with Mil as a backup SG. I think he could start for close to half the NBA teams. Now that Big Dog is gone, the SF spot goes to Tim Thomas. Redd has no place on the Bucks to be a starter.
kidrock8 - I agree in that there are a number of teams that Redd could start for. If he continues on his development pattern, he could end up as a player like Cuttino Mobley, though obviously in Milwaukee, he'll never reach that potential. Regarding the Bulls and Clippers, I don't think either team would seriously be in the running for his services. The Clippers already have Maggette, Richardson, and Piatkowski to play shooting guard and have enough big contracts forthcoming to deal with without adding another player like Redd, while the Bulls seem to be happy with the play of Trenton Hassell and may end up playing Jamal Crawford at shooting guard to allow Jay Williams full development time at the point. He certainly was a hot commodity to end the season, after shining in Allen's absence. But, oh how times change - all due to the monetary climate in the NBA. If he were a free agent next year, he'd fare much better than he has thus far. But as it is, Milwaukee's really his only option.
Looks like you were a bit too optimistic about him... "To financially balance the trade, the Bucks also received forward Leon Smith. The former Chicago high school standout, who suffered severe emotional distress after being drafted two years ago and caught on with the Hawks near the end of last season, is expected to be released by the Bucks"
Toni Kukoc reminds me of Jim Jackson.He produces his best when you don't count on him for much.However you could clearly see he had declined even more last year..Toni's jumper is badly inconsisant now.The only thing he really gave us last year was some decent passing ability but not much else. Big Dog is already in our 3 day a month workouts.I thought he MIGHT make a excuse to get out of it since he just got here. http://www.bayarea.com/mld/bayarea/sports/basketball/nba/golden_state_warriors/3917270.htm JT says Big Dog seems alot happier than we was late last year.Big Dog looked pretty unhappy last year at the end of the season when we beat the Bucks in Atlanta.
