Post#28 » by old skool » Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:37 pm
Michael Redd is not a superstar - he is just the closest thing that the Bucks have to a superstar. He is the face of a franchise. He is promoted heavily in the media. This belies that he is a second tier talent who has appeared in only one All-Star game. A star, not a superstar.
It is really irrelevant that he has a max contract. While it would be preferable to have a superstar like Kobe or Duncan or Garnett in return for a max contract, the reality is that the Bucks had to pay Redd a max contract if they wanted to outbid the Cavs for his services. Paying Redd his contract made more sense than saving that money to spend on Larry Hughes or the like.
The bigger issue in my mind is how the Bucks had so many losses in 2007-08 in spite of some decent NBA pieces. Any team with an above average center (Bogut) and a top level scorer at SG (Redd) should be able to play close to .500 ball. That the Bucks were far below .500 with Mo at PG for most of the year is pretty damning. And the W-L record was even worse when Sessions started in place of Mo.
SF was the second most disappointing position for me. I put most of that on Simmons, who never came close to the productivity of 2005-06. The SF tandem of Simmons and Mason was one of the most unproductive SF groups in the NBA - though Simmons looked much more like the Simmons of 2005-06 as the season drew to a close.
PF was the most disappointing position for me. The PF tandem of Yi and Villanueva was horrid. When they were on the court, it was as if the Bucks were playing without a PF. Kind of an odd version of small ball. Neither could defend as a true PF (Brian Skinner was sorely missed). Both were like SFs on offense.
PG was the third most disappointing position. Mo is more of a sixth man combo guard. Bell is not an undersized SG or SF. Ivey is very limited.
Redd did fine at SG, and thus was the least disappointing to me. Redd was more of a team player with assists and rebounds both up. I don't see Redd as the Bucks' problem. I don't think that he hurts any team in the Central Division if he is their starting SG. But the results in Milwaukee were pitiful. He has to look in the mirror, just like everyone else.
oLd sKool