BREAKING: Bucks/Skiles part ways

[europa]

Hammond got many, if not most or all, of the players Skiles wanted. If Skiles couldn't figure out what to do with them that's on him too.

[bigredbadger]

this is an espn insider article by Kevin Pelton:

The first sign of trouble in Wisconsin came Monday morning, when NBA.com's David Aldridge reported that Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles had told the organization he was not interested in an extension to his contract, which was set to expire at season's end.

The best teams Skiles has coached at all three of his stops have shared common traits. At his insistence, they've gone all out defensively -- in six of his 13 seasons on the sidelines, Skiles has coached a defense ranked in the league's top five in points allowed per possession -- while struggling to score points at the other end. Since that philosophy failed in 2010-11, when the Bucks won 35 games with the NBA's worst offensive rating, GM John Hammond has sought to add scoring punch at the expense of the kind of defensive-minded players Skiles favored. No move tilted the scales in favor of offense more than dealing injured center Andrew Bogut for a package headlined by undersized, high-scoring guard Monta Ellis at last year's trade deadline.

After a season where Milwaukee rated nearly identically at both ends of the floor (16th on offense, 17th on defense), this season's group is putting up much more typical Skiles numbers. The Bucks entered Monday ranked ninth in the NBA in defensive rating and 27th in offensive rating. That seems to indicate that Skiles did not suffer the same fate as in his final seasons in both Chicago and Phoenix, where his defense suffered as players tuned out his demanding instructions.

Yet Skiles still might have seen trouble ahead. The Bucks have lost their last four games, and they're just 10-14 since starting the season 6-2. A .500 overall record overstated Milwaukee's actual level of play; the Bucks have been outscored by 1.3 points per game against a schedule that has been easier than average. If Andrew Bynum returns to the Philadelphia 76ers, a playoff spot is no certainty.

With the benefit of hindsight, Skiles left the Suns at precisely the right time. When he and president Bryan Colangelo reached what was termed a "mutual agreement" on a change in February 2002, Phoenix was 25-26 and just a half game out of a playoff spot. While that was disappointing for a team that had averaged 52 wins the previous two seasons, it beat what was ahead. Under Skiles' replacement, Frank Johnson, the Suns finished the season 11-20 and missed the postseason for the first time in 14 years.

It's up to assistant coach Jim Boylan to avoid a repeat of Phoenix's post-Skiles malaise, as Boylan was named interim coach. That's a familiar position, since Boylan also replaced his boss with the 2007-08 Bulls. Then, Boylan got better results. After Chicago followed a run to the conference semifinals by starting 9-17, the team finished 24-32 under Boylan, who followed Skiles to Milwaukee after the season. Boylan managed to coax improvement from an offense that ranked last in the league when he took over, per NBA.com/Stats. The rest of the season, Chicago's offensive rating was good for 20th in the NBA.

The most immediate task for Boylan will be finding a consistent rotation in the frontcourt. Guards Ellis and Brandon Jennings have started all 32 games, but eight different players have made a start at either forward or center. Hammond hasn't made things easy on his coach by drafting up front the last three years (Larry Sanders, Tobias Harris and John Henson), adding another young player (Ekpe Udoh) via trade and accumulating veterans Samuel Dalembert, Drew Gooden and Ersan Ilyasova. None of the group has been able to stand out and secure a consistent spot, leaving the lineup in constant flux.

Despite a shooting slump from inside the arc, Ilyasova has been the best option in terms of plus-minus; according to NBA.com/Stats, the Bucks outscore opponents by 2.5 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor because of Ilyasova's spacing ability. Milwaukee can effectively pair Ilyasova with any of its defensive-minded centers, though the younger Sanders (who leads the NBA by swatting away 8.8 percent of two-point attempts while on the floor) and Udoh are preferable to Dalembert for the purposes of player development.

Bucks management faces bigger questions after the season. Hammond is also in the final year of his contract, and since winning Executive of the Year in 2009-10, his moves have left Milwaukee stuck on the treadmill of mediocrity. Sneaking into the playoffs may not be enough to save Hammond's job.

The Bucks have a chance to rebuild their roster this summer, when they could have more than $20 million in cap space if Ellis exercises his early termination option to become an unrestricted free agent. (And, given that Ellis thinks he's the equal of Dwyane Wade, he surely figures he's worth more than $11 million on the open market.) Milwaukee will have to re-sign Jennings, a restricted free agent, but until his new contract is completed he will count just $7.9 million against the cap. Ilyasova ($7.9 million) and Gooden ($6.7 million) are the lone Bucks currently under contract for more than $5 million in 2013-14, and Milwaukee could clear even more space if necessary by using the amnesty provision to wipe Gooden's contract off the cap.

Though the Wisconsin winter might not be a lure for free agents, the opportunity to start anew with tremendous roster flexibility, intriguing young pieces and a new coach will be appealing if the Bucks turn over their basketball operations to a new GM. Whoever they hire to replace Skiles, don't expect the next Milwaukee coach to willingly give up the job.

[europa]

The most immediate task for Boylan will be finding a consistent rotation in the frontcourt.

Ugh. Yes let's please continue the Skiles mastery of monkeying around with everything except the real problem. How about addressing the actual problem first? Then you can worry about the frontcourt.

[BucksRUS]

The most immediate task for Boylan will be finding a consistent rotation in the frontcourt.

Ugh. Yes let's please continue the Skiles mastery of monkeying around with everything except the real problem. How about addressing the actual problem first? Then you can worry about the frontcourt.

Monta Ellis has to go.

[europa]

The most immediate task for Boylan will be finding a consistent rotation in the frontcourt.

Ugh. Yes let's please continue the Skiles mastery of monkeying around with everything except the real problem. How about addressing the actual problem first? Then you can worry about the frontcourt.

Monta Ellis has to go.

Dare to dream.

[averageposter]

I don't really know what to think. I really wanted him gone before the season so someone, anyone, with a different outlook would take over and I would perhaps get to see say what BJ3 looks like under a different coach before I figure out what to pay him. Boylan is probably going to look a little different but not much. At least we should finally see a rotation.

However if the only difference I see is a change in philosophy that, doesn't result in putting more defense on the court for every mishap, scoring draught, etc that comes up I'll be happy. Start flat? Put some more defense in there, lack energy, toss a couple of defenders in there. Scoring drought? Put some more defenders in. Roll an ankle? Rub some defense on it.

No more Quis, Moute, Sanders frontcourts, is reason enough for me to be OK with the move.

[stevescheffler06]

More false hope.

Until Kohl sells there may not be many big victories for this team. But this is a small victory and one I'll cherish. For today, that's enough for me.

Seriously though, how many times has this happened in the last ten years? "Finally! * is gone. NOW I can get behind this team."

* = Porter, Larry K, Larry H, Redd, Mo, for some Bogut, SJax, Stotts, etc, etc, etc.

All of these changes and yet the same sorry ass product on the court. There is no change until Kohl is gone imo. Revolution!!!!!!!!!

[dbrodz7]

I agree nothing is going to change till Kohl is gone. Anyone remember the excitement on this board when we first hired Hammond and he was going to have total control, Kohl wouldn't mettle and our franchise was going to be turned around? I do, but unfortunately absolutely nothing has changed. The Milwaukee Bucks organization is the purgatory of NBA basketball.

[emunney]

Maybe we can finally get Sanders and Henson on the court over Gooden and Przybilla.

[stevescheffler06]

I agree nothing is going to change till Kohl is gone. Anyone remember the excitement on this board when we first hired Hammond and he was going to have total control, Kohl wouldn't mettle and our franchise was going to be turned around? I do, but unfortunately absolutely nothing has changed. The Milwaukee Bucks organization is the purgatory of NBA basketball.

My brother-in-law said to me today having a constantly mediocre team is better than having no team at all. Luckily for me I grew up outside of Seattle so I get to experience both. Good times.

[SupremeHustle]

Skiles to Golden State would be all kinds of awesome.

[Scraptor]

Just wanted to share a funny Skiles anecdote from the 2006 draft, speaks to Skiles's intense people skills.

"Scott Skiles came across as a very focused and determined man," Aldridge said after a solo workout for the Bulls on Wednesday. "At the table, he stared at me for five or 10 minutes and didn't say anything. I was kind of wondering, 'Did I do something wrong?'"

"After a while, he started to open up and we had a great time. I had thought he was going to be quiet the whole night, and I was kind of scared."

[withbucksin68]

Let's hope more changes are coming. It's really depressing watching this team with no sense of direction.

[Turd Ferguson]

Just wanted to share a funny Skiles anecdote from the 2006 draft, speaks to Skiles's intense people skills.

"Scott Skiles came across as a very focused and determined man," Aldridge said after a solo workout for the Bulls on Wednesday. "At the table, he stared at me for five or 10 minutes and didn't say anything. I was kind of wondering, 'Did I do something wrong?'"

"After a while, he started to open up and we had a great time. I had thought he was going to be quiet the whole night, and I was kind of scared."

Psychopath.

[D-BE-LAW]

monte ellis have it all.

[kebzach]

Maybe we can finally get Sanders and Henson on the court over Gooden and Przybilla.

If you think that was really a problem...

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Just wanted to share a funny Skiles anecdote from the 2006 draft, speaks to Skiles's intense people skills.

"Scott Skiles came across as a very focused and determined man," Aldridge said after a solo workout for the Bulls on Wednesday. "At the table, he stared at me for five or 10 minutes and didn't say anything. I was kind of wondering, 'Did I do something wrong?'"

"After a while, he started to open up and we had a great time. I had thought he was going to be quiet the whole night, and I was kind of scared."

the freak show ends. luckily he isnt leaving the team in tatters

[MasterChef]

"Scott Skiles came across as a very focused and determined man," Aldridge said after a solo workout for the Bulls on Wednesday. "At the table, he stared at me for five or 10 minutes and didn't say anything. I was kind of wondering, 'Did I do something wrong?'"

"After a while, he started to open up and we had a great time. I had thought he was going to be quiet the whole night, and I was kind of scared."

[/quote]


Skiles is such a weird ****...love it. Would love to see him coaching the Lakers under their current predicament. It'd be quite the show

[James1980]

Is Aldridge's Tweet that Skiles wouldn't sign an extension accurate? He wouldn't sign extension so Bucks fired him?

[LUKE23]

Greg Anthony is on WSSP right now. He has now said twice that Skiles really disliked the roster and disagreed with many personnel moves.