Brew Hoop Podcast: Milwaukee Bucks news, talk and analysis

Scott Skiles is in his fifth season as head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, but he has reportedly informed the Bucks that this will be his last year with the team. According to David Aldridge of NBA.com, Skiles has decided that he will not seek a contract extension when his deal expires after this season: "Multiple league sources say that Skiles, who is in the final year of the five-year contract he signed in 2008, has informed the Bucks that he does not want a contract extension, and is resigned to the fact that he will be elsewhere next season." "...Skiles, according to sources, has wondered about the team's overall plan going forward, and whether it would be willing to either completely rebuild the roster through high Draft picks like Jennings, or make a trade for a dynamic, superstar-caliber player that the existing core could complement." The actual story doesn't come as a big surprise -- last spring the NBA rumor mill circulated a story that Skiles cleaned out his office and tried to force the Bucks to buy out the final year of his contract -- but the timing is a bit strange. Despite a four-game losing streak, the Bucks are 16-16 overall and the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference entering the action on Jan. 8. For a team that started the season with modest playoff aspirations, they are right on track to compete for a final seed in a weak conference. Why is the rumor heating up now

Scott Skiles has been under fire for his minute allocation and rotation design since he joined on as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, but is he really doing anything to deserve those criticisms? Well,  we don't necessarily think so, and we are prepared to tell you why it's not a simple issue. In any case, much has been said about Skiles and the minutes crunch in the past few weeks. Before you get to our take, be sure to check out these noteworthy contributions (reproduced from Frank’s earlier game reviews / notes posts): SI Ĥ Visualing Scott Skiles' rotations There's been plenty of talk recently about the Bucks' ever-changing rotations, but Rob Mahoney's latest at Sports Illustrated offers the best way to visualize it. Very cool. Hoops World Ĥ Bucks' bigs coping with uncertainty Speaking of the Bucks' rotations, Sam Dalembert is the latest to imply his lack of enchantment with his minutes. Join the club, bud. "It is not working," Dalembert said. "It's not quite, I thought my role would have been a little bit more. But, like I said it's coaching and everybody is doing their best. "Everybody just has to be ready when they call their name to produce. We have a lot of guys here and everybody is pretty much in the same place. We're striving for minutes. When we get out there we support each other and the next teammate. We're managing for the time being." If you're particularly curious about Dalembert, John Henson and Tobias Harris, be sure to check out my lineup analysis posts before pinning the issue on Skiles acting irrationally: Milwaukee Bucks Lineups Pyramid, Vol. 1: Mike Dunleavy Reigns Supreme Milwaukee Bucks Lineup Pyramids, Vol. 2 Ĥ Is Beno Udrih's injury a big deal

The Milwaukee Bucks have been backpedaling over the past week, but the most recent performance from Ersan Ilyasova in the team's improbable comeback victory against the Chicago Bulls might be a positive sign for everyone to enjoy. We discuss why there are reasons to be optimistic that Ersan will turn the corner as a member of the bench unit.

The Milwaukee Bucks are 5-2, and in celebration of their recent win over the Indiana Pacers we've decided to proactively eliminate some Eastern Conference teams from the playoff race -- we're looking at you Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, et al. Larry Sanders and Ekpe Udoh have been terrific, and Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis are bound to get some positive publicity. There are a lot of things going right at the moment, and that's something Bucks fans haven't been able to say during the early season for quite a while. We think it's a nine-team race in the East, based on some of the rotten starts from pre-season "contenders" for the eight seed. Things are looking even better for the Bucks than they did when the season started. That's something worth celebrating. Take a listen and be sure to tell us what you think in the comments section

The Milwaukee Bucks and Brandon Jennings have until Oct. 31 to reach an early long-term contract extension before the young guard hits restricted free agency, but nothing is imminent at this point. John Hammond and company also have until the end of the season to either convince Monta Ellis to exercise his $11 million player option for 2013-14 or sign him to an extension before he reaches free agency. Meanwhile, veteran role players Mike Dunleavy, Beno Udrih and Samuel Dalembert are playing the season out on expiring deals. Milwaukee's roster is truly up in the air for '13-14 and beyond. What we know about a possible Ellis opt-out: It makes perfect sense for Ellis to refuse an extension and decline his player option for '13-14. Any extension would necessarily be tied to the terms of his current deal -- the CBA imposes limits on escalating salaries to avoid severe back-/front-loading -- so with Ellis entering his prime (he turns 27 on Oct. 26), this is probably his last chance to test the market and get a fat contract. Aging curves for shooting guards typically beg 28 as the prime, but Monta isn't much of an outside shooter and his reliance on elite athleticism might make for a tougher slide and an earlier-than-normal prime stretch. That means if he were to extend his deal with the Bucks, its possible (probable?) he wouldn't looking at offers with eight-figure annual salaries on the other side of that deal. Why not use his leverage to get to the open market now -- there's always one desperate NBA general manager willing to overpay for a scorer. Could it still be the Bucks? Sure. Remember how the John Salmons situation went down? If you aren't quite understanding the capanomics of the extension stuff, Frank handled this back in August when Gery Woelfel hinted that Monta is planning to opt out this summer: It's important to note the limitations prescribed by the CBA [with regards to an extension]: a new deal could not be for more than four seasons including the two Ellis has left on his current deal, and the starting salary in the first new season (14/15) would be limited to $11.8 million, or 107.5% of the $11 million he's owed in each of the final two years of his contract. Overall, figure around four years and $47 million for the hypothetical extension's max value, with two years and $25ish million incremental to what the Bucks owe him over the remaining two years. That's more than most of us would want to pay Ellis, but my guess is that Ellis would rather take his chances fishing for a bigger payday in free agency than commit to an uncertain future with a modest raise in Milwaukee. What we know about a possible Jennings extension: Mark Stein of ESPN has passed along his thoughts and grapevine chatter about possible extensions for players from the 2009 NBA Draft class, and Jennings is slotted in the "unlikely" category: Extension grapevine scuttle w/buzzer 25 days out: Lawson (DEN) 8 Holliday (PHI) likely to get deals; Jennings (MIL) 8 DeRozan (TOR) unlikely — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) October 6, 2012 David Aldridge of TNT and NBA.com recently added that things have been "pretty quiet" in terms of talks between the Bucks and Jennings' representatives: "Pretty quiet," said a source involved in the discussions on Sunday. Don't think anything will happen here, given the Bucks' payout to Ersan Ilyasova over the summer and their recent deals with Drew Gooden and John Salmons. And in this case, Jennings may be more interested in seeing exactly how green other pastures are. What would it really mean if the Bucks waited for Jennings to hit restricted free agency? Will they strike before Oct. 31 and render that process moot? We discussing contract issues with Jennings, Ellis and even Larry Sanders in the latest episode of our Deer In Your Ear podcast series. Enjoy

The Brew Hoop Podcast series is back for the 2012 Milwaukee Bucks season, and with three preseason games in the books, Frank Madden and Steve von Horn take stock of the exhibition experience and try to determine what is worth noting and what doesn't mean much heading into the regular season. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis haven't quite been on the same wavelength, while Larry Sanders has raised his game along with Tobias Harris, but how much can we take away from this initial glimpse? The conversation starts an introduction to the (new and improved) steady flow on content that will be made available on the site before and after each contest, and from there the preseason action becomes the focal point. Perimeter shooting stats get tossed into the mix, and some questions are raised about how the offense will look when real wins and losses are on the line. Take a listen and be sure to tell us what you think in the comments section!

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly interested in signing free agent center Joel Przybilla. I am reportedly confused by this rumor. Most Bucks fans are reportedly uninterested in whether the rumor bears fruit. Let's have some fun with this, shall we? First let's recap the rumor, which comes to us from Gery Woelfel: [The Bucks] have had several discussions with Przybilla's representatives and were expected to meet this week. But that meeting has been pushed back to next week. It is believed Przybilla will meet with Bucks general manager John Hammond and possibly Bucks coach Scott Skiles. Like last season, the Bucks are coveting a proven backup center. They believe Przybilla would perfectly complement starting center Samuel Dalembert. Now let's mock the rumor, which comes to us from me (Steve) and Dan Sinclair. I call this the Podcast vs. Tweet Challenge! I almost didn't write up this story or record the companion podcast, but Dan's response to my wishy washy attitude was enough to get me going. Here is what he had to say on the Bucks' rumored interest in Przybilla: @stevevonhorn Just write a quick post. Title: "THEY DON'T NEED HIM". Body: "THEY DON'T". — Dan Sinclair (@dan_sinclair) July 31, 2012 That's a great summation, folks. Was I able to top it with my quick podcast reaction? Let's find out..

Top prospects John Henson and Tobias Harris turned some heads and represented the Milwaukee Bucks well during 2012 Las Vegas Summer League action, and both players earned All-Star recognition for their efforts, but how much stock should fans put into exhibition games littered with fringe NBA players, unrealistic matchups and odd usage tendencies? Even if you've been burned in the past and have become a Summer League agnostic over the years, it's still safe to say that great production and is always better to see than poor performance during the games in July. Dan Sinclair did an excellent job summarizing the top storylines from Vegas earlier this week, so before I get to the contents of the latest podcast let's look at the five conclusions Dan managed to develop: (1) Tobias Harris is ready for a larger role, (2) John Henson's offensive game might be more developed than we thought, (3) the young guys have skills, but playmaking probably isn't one of them, (4) Larry Sanders should be feeling some fire under his feet, but he's not obsolete just yet and (5) Doron Lamb can score even when he's not making his threes. Frank and I decided to do a podcast recap of Summer League as well. John Hollinger of ESPN has a theory that watching Summer League can easily make all of us dumber, so we spent most of our time reigning in wild expectations and putting things into the proper perspective heading into the 2012-13 NBA season.  If you want more analysis on Henson, Harris and other top performers from Summer League for the Bucks, be sure to check out our Summer League notes post series: Milwaukee Bucks Summer League Notes: Tobias Harris, Game 1 vs. Hornets Milwaukee Bucks Summer League Notes: Doron Lamb, Game 1 vs. Hornets Milwaukee Bucks Summer League Notes: John Henson, Game 2 Vs. Wizards Milwaukee Bucks Summer League Notes: Why Larry Sanders Is Failing To Impress If you missed any of the five games the Bucks played in Las Vegas, check out our game recaps for each contest: Tobias Harris, Doron Lamb Impress In Bucks' Summer League Victory Wizards 78, Bucks 75: John Henson And Tobias Harris Impress Bucks 77, D-League Select 68: The Harris-Henson Show Provides An Encore Bucks 88, Celtics 87: Tobias Harris, John Henson And Larry Sanders Aim To Please Summer League 2012 Ĥ Bucks 113, Bulls 68: The Vegas Bucks Are Who We Thought They Were Follow @brewhoop on Twitter Ĥ Like Brew Hoop on Facebook Ĥ Join and Start Posting Content

Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis and Ersan Ilyasova constitute the ninth-best trio in the NBA? The Milwaukee Buckshave the ninth-best trio of players in the NBA?!? If you look at the combined Player Efficiency Ratings (PERs) for the each team in the league last season and put in a few basic minutes requirements -- all three top players must have a PER 17.5 or better for the team to qualify and some top free agents weren't included -- a new Big 3 may be emerging in Milwaukee, at least according to Tom Haberstroh of ESPN. After breaking down trios across the NBA, Haberstroh found the Bucks have the No. 9 triumvirate in the league going by combined PER (they actually had the eighth-highest total, but Haberstroh put the Grizzlies in the No. 8 spot for unknown reasons). The most interesting thing is that Ersan Ilyasova graded out as the top banana (20.6 PER), ahead of Jennings (18.5) and Ellis (17.5). The only teams that produced better combined PER numbers in the exercise were the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and the world championMiami Heat. So...who's ready for a championship run? Actually, LeBron James (30.8) and Dwyane Wade (26.4) boast a higher combined PER than the "Big 3" of the Bucks on their own, so it's wise to pump the breaks a bit before even moving on to the fact that Ilyasova grades out as the best player on the Bucks in this analysis. In fact, let's cede to Haberstroh the first words: Even though Jennings and Ellis might chip the rim with all of their missed shots next season, the Bucks are quietly building a founding that is bordered with youngsters in the frontcourt (John Henson, Ekpe Udoh, and Larry Sanders). People forget that Ilyasova averaged 16 points and nine rebounds and shot better than 50 percent from 3-point range after the All-Star break. And he just turned 25. So there it is: don't forget what Ersan Ilyasova has already done in his career. That makes for an interesting proposition, honestly. Before the 2011-12 season, he had never posted a PER higher than 15.7 (league average is scaled to 15). The average PER for power forwards that played 20+ min/gm in 11-12 was 16.8. That changes the tenor of the whole exercise, doesn't it? By Haberstroh's own standards, Ilyasova wouldn't have even qualified for the analysis in three of his four NBA seasons. Although it's tempting to indulge the Big 3 idea (especially after the Bucks committed long-term cash to Ersan), perhaps it's not the most constructive way to structure the current team in our minds. The reasons are manifold. Jennings, Ellis and Ilyasova are not stars. Ilyasova's contract doesn't preclude the Bucks from adding a true star if the opportunity ever arises. If we use any other season from Ersan for the PER analysis, it turns the exercise into a joke. PER is a box score metric that obscures defensive impact. Drew Gooden posted an 18.83 PER last season. Steve von Horn, Dan Sinclair and Frank Madden discuss all this and much more in the latest edition of the Brew Hoop Podcast. Don't you want to find out why Steve uses the phrase "systemically diseased offense?" Of course you do! Follow @brewhoop on Twitter Ĥ Like Brew Hoop on Facebook Ĥ Join and Start Posting Content

The Milwaukee Bucks officially re-signed Ersan Ilyasova to a long-term contract on Thursday afternoon, and although the team did not disclose the terms of the deal everyone is working under the assumption that it is a five-year contract worth $45 million that contains a team option in the fifth and final year. There is always plenty to digest after a signing of this magnitude, so Steve, Dan and Frank joined forces to cover the various implications of the deal in the latest edition of the Brew Hoop Podcast. After Steve's plea for fans avoid using the looming arena issues as a justification for the latest player contract that came earlier in the week, the guys jumped right into the thick of the analysis in this edition. Here's are the topics that were covered: Broad Reactions - After a career year in 2011-12, what trajectory is Ilyasova on going forward over the next five years? Could he continue to improve? Will he regress? What did the Bucks get for roughly $9M annually? The one certainty is that the price tag indicates he must be a starting power forward now. Why Fans Should Avoid Blaming Ilyasova Under Any Circumstances - Ersan looks like a long-term fixture on the Bucks, but is he a central component? As his minutes go up and his role expands, will the shooting efficiency and rebounding numbers look quite as good? If not, it will likely be unfair to blame Ilyasova or question his effort/motivation. We provide guidance on how to avoid that pesky trap that disgruntled fans can easily get caught up in after a big deal is signed. Where Should We Look For His Impact? - The obvious answer to this question is that people should look in the same places everyone is looking now -- advanced stats like PER, ORR, DRR, TS%, etc. However, those aren't the only places to look for a meaningful impact. We break down what to watch for in team lineups featuring Ilyasova andSamuel Dalembert together in the frontcourt, and we also discuss alternative ways to gauge the shooting numbers. Listening Options - You can listen or subscribe on iTunes, click to listen or Download this episode (right click and save) on your smartphone or just hit the flash player below Follow @brewhoop on Twitter Ĥ Like Brew Hoop on Facebook Ĥ Join and Start Posting Content

The Milwaukee Bucks are close to signing Ersan Ilyasova to a five-year, $45 million deal with a team option in the fifth year, and we have articulated plenty of reactions to the rumored signing. I covered the statistical analysis of Ilyasova and how he projects with the Bucks, Frank busted out the basic salary cap and roster implications and Dan provided some reasons to be optimistic about Ersan's future with the team. It's all worth reading, and it's all well-reasoned, so get at it if you haven't already. There's a specific undertone to push back against any criticism of big signings in Milwaukee over the past few months and years that has particularly bothered me, so I've taken to the podcast airwaves in a quick 10-minute rant to get it all out of my system. You can listen or subscribe on iTunes, click to listen or Download this episode (right click and save) on your smartphone or just hit the flash player. Follow @brewhoop on Twitter Ĥ Like Brew Hoop on Facebook Ĥ Join and Start Posting Content

The Milwaukee Bucks may not have made the biggest splash in the 2012 NBA Draft (Dion Waiters to the Cavaliersat No. 4 anyone?), but they came away with two highly-rated prospects on the Draft Express Top-100. In fact, by nabbing North Carolina Tar Heels forward John Henson at No. 12 and Kentucky Wildcats shooting guard Doron Lamb with the No. 42 pick, the Bucks found value in each selection -- at least according to the Top-100 lists on ESPN and DX. Henson ranked No. 11 on DX and No. 9 on ESPN, while Lamb clocked in at No. 31 on ESPN but landed intriguingly high on the DX big board. What if I told you Doron Lamb (No. 21 on DX) graded out as a better NBA prospect than Jeremy Lamb (No. 22) according to Draft Express? It's true, and that certainly can't be a bad thing. The obvious follow-up question on the surprising ranking reversal is "why?" Here is what DX's Director of Operations, Matt Kamalsky, had to say about Doron Lamb in their situational statistics post for top guards in the 2012 NBA Draft class: Doron Lamb's excellent roleplaying potential is just as clear on paper as it was during the NCAA postseason. 3rd in scoring efficiency at 1.129 PPP, Lamb ranked 2nd in scoring efficiency on the pick and roll, in spot-up situations, and shot 46.5% in catch and shoot situations (3rd). With more than half (52.7%) of his shots coming off the catch from the perimeter, Lamb ranks next to last in pick and roll usage (7.6% of possessions) and saw the fewest shots at the rim per-game in this group (1.2 per game), but his ability to spread the floor could help him see the floor early in his NBA career. As for what happened with Jeremy Lamb, I covered his drop on DX along with the curious case of Perry Jones III (who busted through the basement during his fall on Thursday night). Follow @brewhoop on Twitter Ĥ Like Brew Hoop on Facebook Ĥ Join andStart Posting Content So what do we think about the Milwaukee Bucks' 2012 draft class? Taking a top-10 player is never a bad thing, but will Henson's similarities with incumbent lanky shot blocker Larry Sanders cause problems in a crowded PF competition with Ekpe Udoh, Luc Mbah a Moute and (gulp) Drew Gooden? Recall my blind scouting report comparison between Henson, Sanders and Hassan Whiteside to get an idea of the overlap in skills. Alternatively, is Samuel Dalembert the perfect veteran presence to help Sanders and Henson make the most of their length and shot-blocking ability in the NBA (our Dalembert / Rockets trade reaction podcast is available here)? Jeremy Lamb doesn't feel like a prospect that could truly burn the Bucks by becoming a multiple all-star guy, so the wait-and-see approach with Henson seems best. Frank has a slight case of the popping Ps early in the podcast, but it quickly fades so stick with this version as we break down the immediate implications of the draft. You can listen or subscribe on iTunes or just hit the flash player below

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Houston Rockets traded players and draft picks on the eve of the 2012 NBA Draft, and there are plenty of angles from which to break down the deal. The Bucks acquired the No. 14 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Samuel Dalembert, a future second-round pick and cash considerations, which addressed their need for a defensive anchor at the center position and freed up roster spots while moving the team down just two spots in the draft. As for the Rockets, they landed the No. 12 pick, Jon Brockman, Jon Leuer and Shaun Livingston, but the rumors are swirling that general manager Daryl Morey is gather assets for a run at Dwight Howard or a high-upside prospect like Andre Drummond. Was this trade a good move for GM John Hammond and the Bucks? Does it affect the team's draft strategy? Steve von Horn and Frank Madden address the details of the trade and analyze all aspects of the transaction in podcast form to get you ready for the NBA Draft on Thursday night. To catch our comprehensive reaction to the trade, you can listen or subscribe on iTunes or just hit the flash player. Follow @brewhoop on Twitter Ĥ Like Brew Hoop on Facebook Ĥ Join and Start Posting Content In the first 10 minutes we recap the deal and discuss the basic roster and cap ramifications. In the next 10 minutes, the conversation then evolves into analysis of how the frontcourt situation will change with Dalembert in the mix, ranging from some advanced statistical analysis to speculation on changes to Drew Gooden's role and Ersan Ilyasova's potential fit in Milwaukee. In the final 20 minutes it's NBA Draft talk. Does thinking about the trade from the Rockets' perspective (by sizing up the Phoenix Suns at No. 13) help reveal the landscape of prospects that will be available to the Bucks at No. 14 overall? Perry Jones III gets the business from Steve, who won't be lured in by his potential

Are you one of those Milwaukee Bucks fans that is secretly wishing the team would have made the 2012 NBA Playoffs now that the Chicago Bulls lost star point guard Derrick Rose to an ACL tear? If so, Steve von Horn has something to say to you right off the bat in this edition of the Brew Hoop podcast. Frank Madden and Steve discuss the parallel universe where the Bucks would have been the No. 8 seed, but the real analysis goes far beyond that basic hypothetical. From how the harsher, gone fishin' reality has shaped the offseason plans of John Hammond and company to where things went wrong and how to make them better, this podcast touches on a bit of everything before we go deeper on each aspect throughout the summer. Frank had to deal with some bandwidth issues at his hotel in California, so the voice quality is a bit more variable than you might be used to, but his analysis is as clear as ever so don't be too concerned