Sessions Update:Ramon signs T-Wolves OS (page 310 update)

[BucksRUS]

I am sorry, but SL is nothing compared to the real deal.

For Jennings that is all we have. When the season starts Jennings can show us how good he is.

Just comparing last year's JA summer league appearances where he looked lost to Jennings' SL appearances where he actually showed some basketball talent. JA carried his looking lost from SL through the season last year.

[msiris]

I am sorry, but SL is nothing compared to the real deal.

For Jennings that is all we have. When the season starts Jennings can show us how good he is.

Just comparing last year's JA summer league appearances where he looked lost to Jennings' SL appearances where he actually showed some basketball talent. JA carried his looking lost from SL through the season last year.

I know he showed real promise, but being a Bucks fans since the coin toss I have seen a lot of players come and go. Thats why I wait until the real season is half over before I claim anything.

[worthlessBucks]

I am sorry, but SL is nothing compared to the real deal.

I'm sure there's a box score out there with David Harrison owning Bogut during a regular season game.

[trwi7]

Harrison definitely has owned us before.

I don't recall this game, but it certainly looks like it was one of Bogut's "quit games."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=260215011

[GrandAdmiralDan]

How many rookies are dealt during the middle of their first season?

Jennings being moved is about as unrealistic as it comes.

Agreed. It is rare.

But Drew Gooden was dealt. And he was #4 overall IIRC.

And of course we've got the infamous Potsie/Sessions for Conley/pick trade that did not go through, but that somewhat supports your point.

Agree with BucksRUS last few posts.

And don't forget that Hammond tried to dump Ridnour with Alexander to New Jersey for expirings.

[worthlessBucks]

Harrison definitely has owned us before.

I don't recall this game, but it certainly looks like it was one of Bogut's "quit games."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=260215011

Thanks for doing the grunt work. I knew Harrison had done it when it counts against Bogut because I recall the 'simply summer league' argument being brought up at the time. February 15, 2006, Christ I need a life if I remember random discussion from that time.

[BucksRUS]

And don't forget that Hammond tried to dump Ridnour with Alexander to New Jersey for expirings.

Do you think the rest of the league has caught on to how bad JA is now? If he doesn't show anything this year, do they even pick up his option for next year?

[thomchatt3rton]

i agree that jennings being moved this season is unlikely, but i do think its possible. what if we keep sessions- are we then going to have a sessions/jennings backcourt for the next couple of years? are they going to compete for playing time? what if we keep sessions, he has an absolutely amazing first half, and jennings shows promise but is kept on the bench by skiles for turn-overs or other rookie mistakes, and somebody offers us something awesome for brandon? something like a very good PF and/or draft picks in 2010 and/or eating gadz's contract and/or a huge expiring contract? etc etc
we'd have sessions already under contract (probably for a price that would be much higher any other year) he already has logged time with skiles and the team. Or say jennings and skiles rub each other the wrong way and brandon starts to dog it?
I wouldn't rule it out.
Wasn't it (and i dont remember for sure) hammond who used the term "roster flexibilty"? Isn't this kind of what he means (as we semi-rebuild)?

[thomchatt3rton]

I'm not denying that, but it's a nice option to have. If Sessions continues his growth %, then the Bucks may want to trade Jennings down the line. It's possible, as is trading Sessions if Jennings becomes a supernova. Either way, it's an option I'd like to see the Bucks keep.

Personally, I want to see what they can do together. Both can get steals at a high rate and run transition. I'd like to see the press run with them both on the floor as I've already stated before.

bucks fans should at least be prepared for the very real possibility that jennings is traded by feb.

Green font?

What does "green font?" mean?

[thomchatt3rton]

also, whats the point of drafting by the "best player available" theory if said player is untouchable? it would kind of defeat the purpose of drafting for value if you then refused to parlay that value into a real asset. i maintain that hammond might be playing this whole thing right- if sessions goes because somebody pays him too much, then we still have jennings. or if we keep sessions, we get a deal on him, and we have two cards to deal before feb, should the right deal come along, and after we've had a chance to see jennings play an actual NBA game.

[Bernman]

Agreed. Great point.

That is what I really like about Jennings. He actually made some superstar type plays in summer league. We haven't seen that in the past from prior draft picks like Bogut, Yi or Alexander in their summer league stints. Heck, the game recap below from 2005 probably foreshadowed something for us.....

Andrew Bogut Ejected From Summer League Game

07.19.2005 - Updated on 07.20.2005

Number one draft pick Andrew Bogut was ejected from Monday night’s game following an incident involving John Edwards of the Indiana Pacers. Edwards accidentally knocked the former Utah star down as he ran by, causing Bogut to leap to his feet and pursue him. Teammates intervened before any real altercation could develop, but both players were ejected nonetheless.

Bogut scored six points and collected four fouls in the game, while allowing his opposite number, David Harrison, to score fourteen in the first half.

So it foreshadowed that Bogut would be a bad man-to-man defender in the NBA because he allowed David Harrison to score 14 points against in limited action? If anything that event chips away at the relevancy of summer league results.

Having a pretty good (not great, DX didn't even award him 3rd team all-rookie honors, he was a 2nd teamer IMO) summer league is a positive indicator, but let's not get carried away at how it will translate to success. For example he hit outside shots at a rate he never has before (made me cringe about his shot selection about 25 times, literally) and played far more transition basketball than he'll ever see in the league due to undisciplined team defenses. Nobody questioned that the guy had talent. The major question about him was would it translate to a high # of wins ever. That question hasn't remotely been answered yet. I'm pretty sure every GM knew he could do "stuff". Yet 9 still neglected to take him.

What does "green font?" mean?

That some of us get too involved in internet culture.

[trwi7]

That some of us get too involved in internet culture.

Bernman is trying to change the culture of the internet.

[blueedwards]

Green font?
What does "green font?" mean?

Means they drank grape koolaid and pooping green now. True story.

[Bernman]

also, whats the point of drafting by the "best player available" theory if said player is untouchable? it would kind of defeat the purpose of drafting for value if you then refused to parlay that value into a real asset.

In general that's very true.....but if people think that Hammond was drafting with a strict BPA philosophy in mind then they are kidding themselves. And I guess the exception would be if picking BPA also fills a need. Then you have your answer at that position long term and trading off your value pick isn't necessary.

That some of us get too involved in internet culture.

Bernman is trying to change the culture of the internet.

To one that's a little less geeky and pretentious.

[thomchatt3rton]

Green font?
What does "green font?" mean?

Means they drank grape koolaid and pooping green now. True story.

aha. just as i suspected.
thank you very much for confirming the "purple-koolaid-and-green-poop" explanation.
because that particular theory was the leading candidate amongst several other well thought-out theories, hypothesis, and speculations that i had been researching and experimenting.
and i'm happy- no, i am grateful- to see it finally confirmed as scientific fact. eureka.
etc.

[AussieBuck]

I am sorry, but SL is nothing compared to the real deal.

For Jennings that is all we have.

At least we have one honest Jennings fan. Jennings the superstar, Summer League told us so.

[Sigra]

Barring major injuries to any starter or key reserve, I see the Bucks winning 40-45 games. If they fail to do so, then I'd say it's time to trade Bogut if we can steal real value for him.

I agree. If Bogut can't lead this (healthy) team to 40 wins then he should be traded without any doubt.

Bogut needs to be at least an Okafor level player to justify keeping him.

Bogut is so much better than Okafor that is not even funny

[LUKE23]

This team isn't that talented. To expect 40 wins as a low point if healthy is comical beyond words. Look at the f'ing roster.

[Sigra]

This team isn't that talented. To expect 40 wins as a low point if healthy is comical beyond words. Look at the f'ing roster.

People say that I am Bogut fan more than anything. So isn't my position above fair enough? If Bogut can't lead this (healthy) team to 40 wins than I admit that I was wrong about him and that he is not nearly as good as I thought. Fair enough?

[LUKE23]

No, because if we don't win 40 it won't be because of him, it will be because we weren't talented enough going in. Look at the roster Sigra. We don't have starting caliber players at SF or PF, and our PG's are Ridnour and a rookie.

I know everyone is expecting this team that works really hard and plays unselfish, but you need top end talent to win. If Jennings is a stud from the get go, then I hear you, but if he isn't, this will be a lottery team.

Every player we picked up this offseason other than Jennings is meant to be a bench player on a good team.