Van Gundy On The Bucks

[MickeyDavis]

As reported by Wolfely a few minutes ago,:

During an interview Tuesday, former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was asked if he thought the Milwaukee franchise had enough to attract a good, experienced NBA coach.

With the hiring of new general manager John Hammond, Larry Krystkowiak's tenure as head coach may be at an end after one season.

"Right now, you have to ask yourself, if you are in Milwaukee, do we have a good enough best player to lead us from this abyss we have been in for awhile into an upper echelon 50-win type team?" Van Gundy said.

There are other issues.

"They have overpaid players," Van Gundy said. "They put their cap in dire consequences because of that. You can learn from (it), but you can't overpay pretty good players because it really puts you in a difficult situation cap-wise."

Van Gundy did not say whether he was or was not interested in the head coaching job in Milwaukee, if it was to become available.

Van Gundy works as an NBA game analyst for ESPN.

[LUKE23]

The guy has a pretty damn good handle on the Bucks, that's for sure.

Well, a monkey knows the things he said in this quote, but I guess I agree.

I thought his analysis during our only nationally televised game was to the point and much more detailed in analysis.

[trwi7]

**Cough** Simmons, Gadzuric and Max. **Cough**

[europa]

The guy has a pretty damn good handle on the Bucks, that's for sure.

[europa]

**Cough** Simmons, Gadzuric and Max. **Cough**

I think it's safe to to say he's including Mo in the overpaid category too.

And I think he's sending a strong message to the Bucks about how they need to handle Bogut's upcoming extension. Fortunately, I think there's a GM in place who understands what needs to be done.

[europa]

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Well, a monkey knows the things he said in this quote, but I guess I agree.

I thought his analysis during our only nationally televised game was to the point and much more detailed in analysis.

I'd say your monkey would have made the same points Van Gundy made during that game. Smart monkey.

[trwi7]

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I think it's safe to to say he's including Mo in the overpaid category too.

And I think he's sending a strong message to the Bucks about how they need to handle Bogut's upcoming extension. Fortunately, I think there's a GM in place who understands what needs to be done.

The three most overpaid players on this team preventing us from bringing in more talent are Simmons, Gadzuric and Max.

[LUKE23]

If Mo is in the overpaid section than Redd definitely is considering he'll be making almost double what Mo is in two years.

Mo is less overpaid by position than Redd. Not saying I want to keep either, just saying. Mo makes middle of the pack money for starting PG's.

[europa]

If Mo is in the overpaid section than Redd definitely is considering he'll be making almost double what Mo is in two years.

I think everyone is in agreement that Redd is overpaid. I know I've never questioned that point. However, I think it's very safe to say that Mo is another "pretty good" player who Van Gundy believes is overpaid. Paying nearly $9M a year to a guy people aren't even convinced is a starter on a good team is a pretty good example of what Van Gundy is talking about here.

[europa]

In any event, the point isn't whether Mo is or isn't overpaid. The point is the Bucks lack that strong dynamic player and if they don't have one they need to stop overpaying for the players they do have. That sure seems to be the message Van Gundy is delivering here. And again, I'm glad the Bucks now have a GM in place who likely understands that.

[Fight the Tank]

Please coach the Bucks Jeff Van Gundy

[paulpressey25]

We'll find out this summer who is more overpaid....Mo or Redd.....the tale will be in what we get for each of them.

Hopefully we'll have an answer here on both and not have to speculate.....

[MickeyDavis]

I debated whether to put this up here because Van Gundy doesn't say anything we don't already know. When I saw the headline I hoped he would go into detail like he did when he broadcast our game earlier in the season. I have a feeling we haven't talked to him about the job.

[jeremyd236]

Redd is overpaid but teams can live with overpaid players. In fact, every team in the NBA has an overpaid player somewhere on the roster.

The problem is when you have a guy like Bobby Simmons who is like the 8th man on a contending team, and Dan Gadzuric who shouldn't be in the league making a combined 17 million.

Gadzuric is like a 4th string center making 6 million/year. That is absolutely ridiculous.

[paulpressey25]

It needed to be posted...it was newsworthy.....

He essentially took two veiled shots at Herb Kohl and the Bucks job as to why it isn't that great...

a) You've got no superstar

b) You've tied up $200 million dollars in ok but nothing special players (Redd, Mo, Gadz, Simmons)

That isn't an attractive job......

But as George Karl said in his Bucks press conference....The Lakers job wasn't open.

And as John Hammond said a couple days ago.....The Detroit job wasn't opening up soon. The jobs that open are the ones with challenges.

[xTitan]

Its not what he siad its what he didn't say.....he never said it was a terrible job and I am not interested, he actually outlined the issues, which is similiar to what he said when he covered the Bucks/Laker game.

[carmelbrownqueen]

Actually.. I want to focus a little on another quote from JVG that seems to be somewhat ignored. The first question posed was interesting, and could be giving us somewhat of a clue into his perceptions of the talent on this roster:

"Right now, you have to ask yourself, if you are in Milwaukee, do we have a good enough best player to lead us from this abyss we have been in for awhile into an upper echelon 50-win type team?" Van Gundy said.

Van Gundy actually didn't answer that question (according to this quote).. and although some believe Bogut is that player, I'm not sure everyone else agrees with that sentiment/assessment around the league which could hinder us in hiring that more experienced coach. Belief in the roster and the Bucks managements commitment to improving it could continue to be a problem. I think it can be argued that there isn't a good enough player on this team to lead this team anywhere.. We have a couple of guys with some potential but we have yet to get that "franchise guy" or the consistent glue guys that can take us to the point of being an "upper echelon 50-win team" that he is talking about.

Does he believe in the talent on this roster? If we can't convince Rick Carlisle to coach this team.. does JVG believe in at least one of the pieces enough to say he could help us turn things around?

[El Duderino]

It needed to be posted...it was newsworthy.....

He essentially took two veiled shots at Herb Kohl and the Bucks job as to why it isn't that great...

a) You've got no superstar

b) You've tied up $200 million dollars in ok but nothing special players (Redd, Mo, Gadz, Simmons)

I've always wondered why some owners aren't almost always willing to pay top dollar for a high quality proven GM or at least a highly thought of one like Hammond.

When you look at the huge money these GM's hand out to players and how many mega millions they can waste, i never understood trying to save say 500,000 to a million on a GM given even bench scrubs make more per year than the GM.

[Wade-A-Holic]

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I've always wondered why some owners aren't almost always willing to pay top dollar for a high quality proven GM or at least a highly thought of one like Hammond.

When you look at the huge money these GM's hand out to players and how many mega millions they can waste, i never understood trying to save say 500,000 to a million on a GM given even bench scrubs make more per year than the GM.

Good point. I've always wondered in baseball why the Yankees and Red Sox don't just raid the talent scouts of teams that always seem to be bringing great players up through the farm, like the Marlins. It seems like that would potentially save them a ton of money by not having to instantly give huge contracts to every good player they get.

[Bernman]

Who cares what Van Gundy thinks about the Bucks? He shouldn't be considered such an attractive candidate.

Houston underachieved for years with JVG at the helm. They finally have a breakout year, following his dismissal, when their premier center is on the shelf half the season.

He's just the polar opposite of the extreme emphasis on offense we've had in Milwaukee for years. Neither philosophy is conducive to maximum success. Last time I checked you defeat opponents by either scoring efficiently or preventing them from scoring efficiently. If you are devoid on either end you're going to suffer. He handcuffs his players with his grinding offensive sets. We have nobody who can command a double team, or score at the end of the shot clock efficiently, to justify that type of offense.

Detroit didn't reach the next level until they made the acquisition of Rasheed Wallace. Beforehand, they were still a very strong, over-achieving team (early on) under Carlisle's leadership. Indiana has regressed since Carlisle left. He's clearly the better option.