The Bucks have signed 28-year old power forward Drew Gooden to a 5-year, $32 million dollar deal. Gooden played in 70 games (33 starts) for the Clippers & Mavericks last season in which he averaged 25.1 minutes, 10.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. He has now played in 580 games (429 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 27.7 minutes, 11.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. The Bucks have really improved the roster for the 2010-11 season and I love this signing for them as Gooden is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He could be a threat to average a double-double for the Bucks this season as their starting power forward.

Don’t look for the Bucks to be chasing any big time free agents. They have brought in Corey Maggette, Chris Douglas-Roberts and rookie forwards Larry Sanders, Darington Hobson and Tiny Gallon already this off-season. I think the Bucks will be going for cheaper players in free agency with nice upsides. Guys like Tony Allen, Josh Howard, Flip Murray, Hakim Warrick, Drew Gooden, Matt Bonner, Craig Smith and Alex Barron likely would appeal to the Bucks. The Bucks already have a solid rotation so they will likely just try to fill in some cracks this summer.

The Bucks have selected 19-year old power forward Tiny Gallon with the 47th overall pick of the NBA Draft. Gallon played in 30 games (21 starts) at Oklahoma last season and he averaged 10.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. The only negative about Gallon is that he will have to watch his weight as he is 6’9″, 290 pounds but he does have a nice upside and the Bucks had a need a power forward so I like this pick for them.

UPDATE: (10/6/2010) – The Bucks have waived Tiny Gallon.

The Bucks have selected 23-year old center Jerome Jordan with the 44th overall pick of the NBA Draft. Jordan is 7’0″, 253 pounds so he’s a legit pivot man. Jordan played in 35 games (all starts) at Tulsa last season and he averaged 15.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.3 blocked shots per game. He played in 133 games (119 starts) in college and he averaged 11.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 2.5 blocked shots per game. The Bucks continued to add muscle and size with the pick of Jordan.

UPDATE: (6/25/2010) – The Bucks will trade Jerome Jordan to the Knicks on July 8th. It is not known right now what they will get back for him.

The Bucks have selected SG/SF Darington Hobson with the 37th overall pick of the NBA Draft. Hobson played in 35 games (all starts) at New Mexico last season and he averaged 15.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He played in 90 games (all starts) in college and he averaged 16.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Bucks like Hobson because he’s a good rebounder which will likely get him some P.T. as a rookie in 2010-11.

UPDATE: (10/26/2010) – Darington Hobson is going to miss his rookie season due to left hip surgery. This is a bad break for him but he wasn’t going to get much P.T. anyway, so now he can watch and learn.

The Milwaukee Bucks have picked 21-year old power forward Larry Sanders with the 15th overall pick of the NBA Draft. Sanders played in 35 games (32 starts) at VCU last season and he averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.6 blocked shots per game. In his three years at VCU, Sanders played in 101 games (82 starts) in which he averaged 10.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 2.7 blocked shots per game. Sanders gives the Bucks more muscle inside and a good helper for Andrew Bogut.

The Bucks have acquired 23-year old shooting guard Chris Douglas-Roberts from the Nets for a 2nd round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Douglas-Roberts played in 67 games (38 starts) for the Nets last season and he averaged 25.8 minutes, 9.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He has now played in 111 games (41 starts) in his two NBA seasons and he has averaged 20.8 minutes, 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. This was another solid move for the Bucks who got Douglas-Roberts while keeping all four of their draft picks for tomorrow’s NBA Draft.

The Bucks have acquired 30-year old SG/SF Corey Maggette and the 44th overall pick (2nd round) in the NBA Draft Thursday Night from the Golden State Warriors for 31-year old SG Charlie Bell and 32-year old C Dan Gadzuric. Maggette played in 70 games (49 starts) for the Warriors last season and he averaged 29.7 minutes, 19.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He has now played in 710 games (432 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 29.3 minutes, 16.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Maggette will give the Bucks another weapon on offense which they so sorely need. Charlie Bell played in 71 games (39 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 22.7 minutes, 6.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Dan Gadzuric played in 32 games (6 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 9.8 minutes, 2.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. The Bucks’ GM probably had a ski mask on when he made this trade as he stole Maggette from the Warriors.

The Bucks have 7 unrestricted free agents and they probably would like to bring back at least a couple of them. John Salmons has a early termination option on his contract and I’m positive that he is going to opt out and chase the big bucks. The Bucks probably have a limit they are willing to spend on him and he can likely get more money than they are willing to offer. Michael Redd also has a early termination option but he’s not going anywhere as he will make way more money with the Bucks than he could get from someone else. Point guard Luke Ridnour was outstanding for the Bucks last season but he is one of the best point guards on the open market which means he will likely leave. Jerry Stackhouse and Kurt Thomas might be offered a contract by the Bucks as they both played decent for them last season but only at the teams’ price. Primoz Brezec and Royal Ivey are likely goners for the Bucks.

There weren’t too many people that predicted the Milwaukee Bucks would make the playoffs this year, but with a breakout season by Andrew Bogut, the stellar play of rookie Brandon Jennings, and the late season acquisition of John Salmon, coach Scott Skiles was able to win 12 more games this season compared to last.  That gave them a regular season record of 46-36, good enough for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.  The Bucks were one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season, but after Andrew Bogut went down with a gruesome elbow injury very late in the season everyone was writing off the Bucks once again.  Their first round matchup against the Atlanta Hawks was supposed to be an easy sweep for the Hawks, but Skiles got his Bucks to play inspired basketball and they fought the Hawks hard all series before falling short in game seven.  Although Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks one this year’s NBA Coach of the Year award, Skiles definitely deserved some consideration for the award.  It’s hard to argue against Brooks and the Thunder’s 27 game improvement though, but Skiles did a fantastic job for the Bucks this season.  Skiles is one of the most underrated coaches in the NBA, as he routinely has his team’s overachieving.  The tough, hard-nosed Skiles overachieved as a player too, and has brought that same intensity and work ethic he had as a player to the Bucks.  Milwaukee Bucks fans should be proud of Skiles and the Bucks season this year, and the future is bright with Skiles tutoring the up-and-coming star point guard, Brandon Jennings.