ATL: Trade deadline eve....

[SkilesTheLimit]

Warriors beat another good team without Bogut. How long before people start to acknowledge the elephant in the room that they are a better team without him.

its just like what happened with us last year once he went out. we got better too. hes just not a good player if he is the focal point of anything on offense...... and his defense is terribly overrated as well. hes still above average defender but hes not some gamechanger there anymore like he was . his decline is just sad but it dates to the elbow injury.... all these multiple surgeries and procedures since that incident have just compounded it all. hes the mickey rourke meets joan rivers of the league at this point.

You forgot Lil Kim....



Yeah..the Bogut situation speaks for itself. Just look at today's wiretap. He was a sinking asset for the Bucks. What we've already received from Monta and Udoh is better than a guy that is paid 13plus mil and doesn't play. It's impossible for the Bucks to have lost that trade.

Bogut's a **** bum. Nothing has changed with that soft, big mouth punk. Glad he's off my roster.

[coolhandluke121]

I disagree with blaming Bogut, except in the sense that he doesn't always mesh with his teammates. I'm convinced now more than ever that team identity is often an important variable for success. Having one and sticking to it can make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Not having everyone on the same page can cause problems. Look at what Anthony Mason did to the Bucks. Theoretically he was exactly what they needed, but only on paper. The 2001 Bucks and FTD Bucks had an identity. The 2006 Bucks were probably more talented top to bottom but were totally mismatched.

It's the gm's and coach's responsibility to know players well enough to create an identity. Complementing each other is a good thing to a point, but you can't go so far as to mix in a few guys who have a completely different attitude about how to play basketball. You also can't create an identity that causes more weaknesses than it solves (see last year's "transition offense, no defense" Bucks). But if you don't have a ton of talent, you gotta have one.

The reason I've always liked this year's team and still have plenty of optimism for them is that I think they have the potential to create a strong identity (speed, athleticism, blocks and steals leading to transition, help defenders, et cetera). I've always felt that they're just one good half-court guard away from clicking and becoming better than the sum of the parts, and I was confident that they had the assets to get that player at the deadline.

Unfortunately, as much as I love LRMAM I think he's the one player who doesn't really fit the identity that well. They do need his man-to-man defense, but playing him at sf is a nightmare. He is SO much better than the player we've seen this year, but it's not working out. Trading him and Udoh for Smith would have been filthy, because you would have replaced a terrible fit for an up-tempo team with a pretty good fit for an up-tempo team, but without losing anything on man-to-man combo forward defense.

[CanadaBucks]

Well stated......I think people tend to throw the word chemistry out there too much when probably synergy is a better word. And yes, Luc cannot start at 3 for us going forward, If we had Redick and Ersan i would say an athletic slashing 3 with a decent mid-range game would work.

[Wise1]

Holding out hope that the Bucks can bring in Smith this offseason. Agreed that LRMBAM is a poor fit. However, if Smith comes in, Ersan may be on the block making Luc Richard a valuable backup at the 4 until Henson finds his game.

[paulpressey25]

Holding out hope that the Bucks can bring in Smith this offseason. Agreed that LRMBAM is a poor fit. However, if Smith comes in, Ersan may be on the block making Luc Richard a valuable backup at the 4 until Henson finds his game.

Unfortunately I think we have to way overpay Smith to get him, which may involve a sign and trade with Atlanta. Ersan likely goes south in that scenario I'd bet.

[Wise1]

I'd be okay with acquiring Smith at the expense of Ersan. JJ gives us the stretch ability that Ersan gives us, albeit at a different position. Unfortunately, I don't think Atlanta wants to see Smith in Milwaukee and will burn the midnight oil to send him to the western conference.

IF a viable sign and trade is on the table with Milwaukee, then yes I think we will be forced to overpay. I'd hate to do it, but I want to win so I go ahead and bite the bullet. Chances are, we won't draft a player as good as Smith anytime soon anyway. If by some chance we do, that player will be on a cheap rookie deal for the bulk of Smith's contract.

[JimmyTheKid]

Well stated......I think people tend to throw the word chemistry out there too much when probably synergy is a better word. And yes, Luc cannot start at 3 for us going forward, If we had Redick and Ersan i would say an athletic slashing 3 with a decent mid-range game would work.

Josh Smith?

[JimmyTheKid]

Warriors beat another good team without Bogut. How long before people start to acknowledge the elephant in the room that they are a better team without him.

Its too early to make any declaration. But it is strange that not only have the Warriors played better basketball without Bogut in the lineup, but better defense as well. I'm just glad the Bucks don't have to deal with his injury-prone-ness. Ankle, back spasms, etc. Has he had a migraine yet?

[paulpressey25]

Chances are, we won't draft a player as good as Smith anytime soon anyway.

That is why I'm still depressed that some form of trade didn't go through for Smith.

When the talk first started a week ago, I was in the camp of "pass'. But as the week went on and I kept thinking about it, I came to the conclusion we weren't going to be in position to get a guy of his caliber anytime soon and that he'd fit perfectly alongside Larry.

My depression goes hand in hand with the guards. If we weren't going to add Smith, then I would rather we do everything in our power to move out those guards and try to get at least one of the young guards like Bledsoe or Lamb if we could.

But we are now stuck. No Smith and locked into keeping at least one of not both of Brandon and Monta next season.

[CanadaBucks]

Warriors beat another good team without Bogut. How long before people start to acknowledge the elephant in the room that they are a better team without him.

Its too early to make any declaration. But it is strange that not only have the Warriors p

layed better basketball without Bogut in the lineup, but better defense as well. I'm just glad the Bucks don't have to deal with his injury-prone-ness. Ankle, back spasms, etc. Has he had a migraine yet?

Yup, there's a few others that would fit, Gerald Wallace a few years ago, think even a guy like Landry Fields might work.....

[jokeboy86]

I'm starting to pay close attention to Toronto. They're 7-3 since they got Gay and their next two games against Cle & Was are very winnable. They're quietly making a charge for that 8th seed. That March 2nd game just got very interesting.

[N8Frog]

Philly may be getting Bynum back soon too. Lottery is definitely not out of the question. Curious if Boston cools off though.

Bogut, man just can't stay on the court. Glad we moved on, not that we've been a ton better but at least that false hope of him returning to save the day is gone.

[DocHoliday]

Earl K. Sneed ‏@EKS_MavsNBA

Hahahaha Dirk's mouth just dropped when Anthony Morrow hit 24 of 25 from behind the 3-point line.

[Max Green]

Warriors beat another good team without Bogut. How long before people start to acknowledge the elephant in the room that they are a better team without him.

Its too early to make any declaration. But it is strange that not only have the Warriors played better basketball without Bogut in the lineup, but better defense as well. I'm just glad the Bucks don't have to deal with his injury-prone-ness. Ankle, back spasms, etc. Has he had a migraine yet?

It may be too early but then again the season is close to being 70% done. They still have a chance to figure it out and maximize the skill set he brings to the table if he can actually stay healthy and string together some consecutive games without getting hurt. If they use him to his full potential on both ends of the floor then he should make them a better team, But right now they are a better without him playing, the numbers, record and eye test all say that.

[Touchpass]

Tobias, Beno, and Doron all on the floor together to finish the 1st.