The Bucks selected 21-year old shooting guard Jodie Meeks with the 41st pick in the NBA Draft. Meeks really had a breakout season at Kentucky last season but he should have played one more year in college so that he would have got picked in the first round. Meeks played in 81 games in three seasons at Kentucky and he averaged 15.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Meeks has a big upside and he was a outstanding pick for the Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks might have made a big mistake in taking 19-year old Brandon Jennings with the 10th pick in the NBA Draft last night. Jennings played overseas last season instead of playing in college in the U.S. Jennings is a very skinny player at 6′1″, 169 pounds but he still has time to add some bulk. Jennings played in 43 games in Italy and in the Euroleague in which he averaged 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Don’t look for Jennings to contribute much for the Bucks in 2009-2010 as he was a developmental pick for the future. Still, this was quite a reach for the Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks have some money to work with in free agency due to the trade of Richard Jefferson to the Spurs. The Bucks will likely use some of the savings to match offers given to point guard Ramon Sessions. Sessions played in 79 games (39 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 27.5 minutes, 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He has a significant upside and the Bucks wouldn’t be smart to let him go. Charlie Villanueva is also a restricted free agent and it will be interesting to see if the Bucks match if he gets a big offer. Villanueva played in 78 games (47 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 26.9 minutes, 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Ersan Ilyasova is also a restricted free agent but he’s played overseas the last couple of season. Ilyasova played in 66 games (14 starts) during the 2006-2007 season for the Bucks and he averaged 14.7 minutes, 6.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. The Bucks will likely let him walk if he wishes to return to the NBA. Francisco Elson is a unrestricted free agent but he will likely exercise his player option for the 2009-2010 season to return to Milwaukee. Elson played in 59 games (23 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 16.6 minutes, 3.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Keith Bogans could also return but only at the Bucks’ price. Bogans played in 29 games (0 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 16.7 minutes, 6.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Reserve power forward Malik Allen will be allowed to leave Milwaukee. Allen played in 49 games (3 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 11.8 minutes, 3.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. Shooting guard Damon Jones will also be leaving the Beer City. He played in 18 games (0 starts) last season for the Bucks and he averaged 6.0 minutes, 1.8 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded 29-year old forward Richard Jefferson to the Spurs in return for 38-year old forward Bruce Bowen and 36-year old forward Kurt Thomas. The Bucks then acquired 22-year old forward Amir Johnson from the Pistons with the Spurs sending 34-year old center Fabricio Oberto to the Pistons. This was strictly salary dump time for the Bucks. Jefferson played in 82 games (all starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 35.8 minutes, 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. In Bruce Bowen the Bucks have acquired a defensive stopper near the end of his NBA career. Bowen played in 80 games (10 starts) for the Spurs last season and he averaged 18.9 minutes, 2.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Bowen has now played in 873 games (644 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 27.6 minutes, 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Thomas played in 79 games (10 starts) last season for the Spurs and he averaged 4.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. He has now played in 896 games (584 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 26.5 minutes, 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Amir Johnson is the only player the Bucks received in this trade that has much of a upside. He played in 62 games (24 starts) for the Pistons last season and he averaged 14.7 points, 3.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game. Johnson has now played in 135 games (24 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 13.6 minutes, 3.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. Johnson has made 57.7% of his field goal attempts during his NBA career which is outstanding. Johnson was buried on the Pistons’ depth chart but the Bucks will likely give him every opportunity to show what he can do in the 2009-2010 NBA season. Still, this was a salary dump and the Bucks are a much worse team today for making this trade.

The Milwaukee Bucks are pleased with their rookie forwards who are giving them solid minutes so far this season. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is doing a great job for the Bucks so far this season. He has played in 16 games for the Bucks this season and he is averaging 29.7 minutes, 9.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. He will even get more playing time if he continues to play like he is right now. Joe Alexander has played in 13 games for the Bucks this season and he is averaging 13.3 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. The Bucks might increase Alexander’s playing time as the season goes on.