The Bucks have finally brought in a legit NBA player this off season in Hakim Warrick. The 27-year old Warrick will compete to start at both small and power forward this season. Warrick played in 82 games (7 starts) for the Grizzlies last season and he averaged 24.7 minutes, 11.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. In four years in the NBA, Warrick has played in 307 games (82 starts) in which he has averaged 21.7 minutes, 10.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. I have to finally give the Bucks some credit as Warrick is a decent NBA player.

The Bucks have traded 31-year old power forward Malik Allen to the Nuggets for 23-year old power forward Walter Sharpe and 23-year old shooting guard Sonny Weems. Allen played in 49 games (3 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 11.8 minutes, 3.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. The Bucks did save some cash in this trade but they also lost an experienced veteran for the bench. 23-year old power forward Walter Sharpe played in only 8 games (0 starts) as a rookie for the Pistons last season and he averaged 2.5 minutes, 1.0 point and 0.4 rebounds per game. Weems played in 12 games (0 starts) as a rookie last season for the Nuggets and he averaged 4.6 minutes, 1.6 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. It appears that the Bucks are more interested in having the most Lottery Balls in the NBA Draft next June instead of winning ballgames during the 2009-2010 NBA season.

The Bucks have re-signed 21-year old forward Irsan Ilyasova to a 3-year, $7 million dollar contract. Ilyasova last played in the NBA during the 2006-07 season for the Bucks. That year he played in 66 games (14 starts) for the Bucks in which he averaged 14.7 minutes, 6.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. This was a good move for the Bucks as they need help along the front line.

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 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 Bucks have signed 32-year old center Francisco Elson to a 2-year, $3.2 million dollar contract. Elson is a big boy at 7’2″, 235 pounds and he will be Andrew Bogut’s backup this season. Elson played in 63 games (5 starts) last season for the Spurs and Sonics and he averaged 12.9 minutes, 3.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Look for Elson to play 15-20 minutes per night with the Bucks during the 2008-09 season. Elson has now played in 334 games (125 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 16.6 minutes, 4.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. This was a nice little signing for the Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded Mo Williams to the division rival Cleveland Cavaliers in a three team trade also involving the team in Oklahoma City. The Bucks traded Desmond Mason to Oklahoma City who also acquired forward Joe Smith from the Cavaliers. The Bucks acquired guards Luke Ridnour and Adrian Griffin from Oklahoma City and guard Damon Jones from the Cavs. This was purely a salary dump for the Bucks as the two best players in the trade were the ones they moved. Williams played in 66 games (all starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 36.5 minutes, 17.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Williams played 4 years in Milwaukee covering 272 games (226 starts) in which he averaged 31.9 minutes, 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Desmond Mason played in 59 games (56 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 30.9 minutes, 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

The Bucks are hoping that 2nd year point guard Ramon Sessions is ready to start in Williams’ place. If not, Luke Ridnour would probably step in. The 26-year old Ridnour played in 61 games (5 starts) for the Sonics last season and he averaged 20.0 minutes, 6.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Ridnour’s biggest asset is that he’s a good long range shooter and the Bucks will likely take advantage of that skill when he’s on the floor. Ridnour has now played in 362 games (228 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 26.6 minutes, 9.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game. 34-year old Adrian Griffin has the reputation of being a good defender off of the bench and the Bucks can definately use that. Griffin played in 35 games (2 starts) last season for the Sonics and Bulls and he averaged 8.8 minutes, 1.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Don’t look for him to get more than 10-15 minutes per night in 2008-09 for the Bucks. Griffin has now played in 477 games (179 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 16.8 minutes, 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. 31-year old guard Damon Jones likes to say that he’s the “best shooter in the world” even though his stats don’t prove that out. Jones played in 67 games (3 starts) for the Cavaliers last season and he averaged 19.9 minutes, 6.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Look for Jones to be the three point assassin off the bench for the Bucks this season as he hit 41.7% from that range last season for the Cavs. Jones has now played in 639 games (114 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 20.9 minutes, 6.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. This was a flat out awful trade for the Bucks. Making the Cavaliers stronger was a very stupid move for the Bucks.

The Bucks have signed guard Tyronn Lue to a 1-year, $2.5 million dollar contract. Lue can handle either the point guard or shooting guard positions for the Bucks but he should be limited to 15-20 minutes per night which is when he is most effective. Lue played in 50 games (3 starts) for the Hawks and Mavericks last season and he averaged 14.7 minutes, 5.8 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The 31-year old Lue should be a solid addition to the Bucks bench as long as they keep his minutes down. Lue has now played in 510 games (173 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 23.6 minutes, 8.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

The Bucks have signed forward Malik Allen. Allen is 6’10″, 255 pounds as he is basically nothing more than a reserve power forward who doesn’t mind throwing his body around. Allen played in 73 games (16 starts) for the Nets & Mavericks last season and he averaged 15.0 minutes, 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Don’t expect Allen to put up numbers much better than that for the Bucks who have a few forwards ahead of Allen on the depth chart. Allen has now played in 360 games (119 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 16.8 minutes, 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. This was a solid signing for the bench of the Bucks.