Vancouver Metro Basketball League

By Clint Lomax
The year Michael Redd was drafted, Milwaukee’s big 3 at the time (Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Sam Cassell) fell one game short of the NBA Finals. This effort gave hope to Bucks fan’s that Milwaukee was back, and ready to contend for a title. Unfortunately for the Bucks, they would only make the playoffs four out of the next eight years. All four of those appearances resulted in first round exits. From his 3rd season in, Michael Redd had improved his scoring in the next 4 years. In the last few years he has been hit by the injury bug, which for some players is unavoidable yet they are labeled unjustly in my opinion. Now that the Bucks have absolutely loaded every gun in their arsenal with young up and coming talent, the question a lot of people are asking is….Do the Bucks still need Michael Redd?

I won’t speculate on that subject because I compare Michael Redd’s situation loosely to the Grant Hill situation in Detroit. I feel that Michael Redd has done everything he can to make the Bucks successful. Yet I’ve heard grumblings that he could not raise his game when it has counted. Even with the slew of talented guards he has played with including: T.J. Ford and Damon Jones 03-04, Mo Williams 04-05 (which I think is a low blow in my personal opinion, ask Lebron James about that), T.J. Ford and Mo Williams 05-06, Mo Williams and Earl Boykins 06-07, Mo Williams, Ramon Sessions, Ivey 07-08, and Luke Ridnour, Ramon Sessions. None of these guards can be attributed to a deep run in the playoffs on any other team in the league (unless you count Mo Williams with Clev’s 2nd round exit).

With that said, let me list some of the players that make up the 2010-2011 Milwaukee Bucks (as of 7-26-10). Drew Gooden, Keyon Dooling by way of free agency. Re-signing John Salmons. Trading for Corey Maggette (GS) and John Brockman (Sac). Getting injured stars Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut back are huge. Not too mention the future all star guard Brandon Jennings with players like Carlos Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (say that three times fast. Plus the three rookies they drafted in Larry Sanders, Darington Hobson (at 6’7” and a lefty), and Keith “Tiny” Gallon (6’9” 300 lbs). Insiders are saying two of these three may help this coming season! (If your are squeemish, don’t look at this next video with Andrew Bogut)!

The main thing keeping them out of the top 5 next season is The Bulls! Orlando, Boston, Miami, and Atlanta are the consensus top 4 in the east right now. The main reason Chicago bumps them from top 5 is that they are not only adding offense, but defense too. Carlos Boozer, C.J. Miles (Utah) and Kyle Korver are key to the Bulls offensive firepower, but signing Ronnie Brewer (Utah) gives them a defensive minded player in the mold of a Raja Bell. Even though the Bulls are thin at center, Noah, Gibson, and Boozer should be productive and a force in the Central Division.

The X-factor in all of this is how will Bogut and Redd mesh with this new infusion of talent? Also how will Scott Skiles attack with his new batch of toys. My homeboy Sherlan John (Co-Founder of Moult Athletic) was the first one to alert me of the Bucks potential resurgence! He has also adopted the Bucks battle cry from the previous playoffs…..”FEAR THE DEER”! LOL! That is classic!

I’m also on Twitter @mjlover23

The Richmond Olympic Oval will host the West Coast Basketball Classic on September 11 and 12. Register to play and learn more at http://www.westcoastclassic.ca