The Bucks have waived 25-year old point guard Roko Ukic who requested it due to his lack of playing time this season. Ukic played in 13 games (0 starts) for the Bucks this season and he averaged 7.5 minutes, 3.1 points, 0.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. This will be no loss for the Bucks as Ukic just wasn’t that good of a player.

The Bucks decided not to match the 4-year, $16.4 million dollar offer sheet that the Timberwolves signed him to.  Sessions played in 79 games (39 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 27.5 minutes, 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  In his two years with the Bucks, Sessions played in 96 games (46 starts) in which he averaged 27.3 minutes, 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  This is a big loss for the Bucks as Sessions was developing into quite a playmaker.

The Milwaukee Bucks are really going on the cheap this season as they will likely field one of the worst teams in the NBA for the 2009-2010 NBA season. The Bucks allowed starting power forward Charlie Villanueva leave in free agency to sign with the division rival Detroit Pistons. They also traded starting small forward Richard Jefferson to the Spurs for Kurt Thomas and two players they have since cut in SF Bruce Bowen and Fabricio Oberto. The best player the Bucks got in any on their trades this off-season was Amir Johnson who they turned around and traded to the Raptors. Sonny Weems was another player they only had for a little bit before shipping him out to another team. Finally, the Bucks traded backup power forward Malik Allen to the Nuggets. The Bucks even reached in the NBA Draft selecting PF Brandon Jennings and SG Jodie Meeks who will both likely need some time before they are ready to compete at the NBA level. Small forward Hakim Warrick was brought in as a free agent and he will get the first shot to replace Richard Jefferson in the starting lineup. He has a untapped upside and if the Bucks give him big minutes he could excel. PF Kurt Thomas will provide some leadership and toughness off the bench for the Bucks this season. SG/SF Carlos Delfino is back from Russia and he could give the Bucks some solid minutes this season. PG Roko Ukic was brought over in the same trade as Delfino and he will likely compete for the starting point guard job assuming that Ramon Sessions leaves as a free agent. Ervan Ilyasova is back from Europe and forward Walter Sharpe was brought over in a trade. The Bucks hope they can both give them some minutes off the bench.

FRONT OFFICE GRADE FOR THIS OFF-SEASON SO FAR: F

The Bucks have acquired 26-year old shooting guard Carlos Delfino and 24-year old point guard Roko Ukic from the Raptors for 22-year old power forward Amir Johnson and 23-year old guard Sonny Weems. Delfino played overseas last season. He last played in the NBA in 2007-08 for the Raptors. That season he played in 82 games (0 starts) in which he averaged 23.5 minutes, 9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He has now played in 4 seasons in the NBA appearing in 262 games (6 starts) in which he has averaged 17.1 minutes, 5.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Roko Ukic played in 72 games (0 starts) as a rookie last season and he averaged 12.4 minutes, 4.2 points, 1.0 rebound and 2.1 assists per game. Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems never played for the Bucks after coming over to them in prior trades. Although I think Amir Johnson will eventually be the best player in this trade by far, the Bucks needed players that could help them right now and Delfino and Ukic should help.

The Bucks have released 38-year old small forward Bruce Bowen and shooting guard Salim Stoudamire. 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 came over in the Richard Jefferson trade with the Spurs and the Bucks should have kept him around to teach the younger players what it takes to win in the NBA. Stoudamire did not play in the NBA last season. He has played in 157 games (1 start) in his NBA career and he has averaged 17.0 minutes, 8.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. Once again the Bucks get rid of a couple of players who could have helped them some during the 2009-2010 NBA season.