Throw it down big fella!

It's been a pretty uneven Olympics for Andrew Bogut and Australia, but at least they're trying to finish on a high note.  Last night Bogut scored 22 (8/13 fg, 2/3 3fg, 4/6 ft) along with eight boards in a comprehensive 95-80 (recap) win over Andrei Kirilenko and the European Champion Russians.  With the win Australia is now 2-2 and sitting third in Group A, clinching a trip into the quarterfinal round.  That was the goal coming into the games, so congrats to the Boomers on making it out of a difficult group that featured five very solid teams.

Australia controlled the game throughout, withstanding a number of runs by a Russian team that made 12/27 threes and got 21 points from Victor Khryapa (7/8 fg) and 20 from J.R. Holden. And as well as Bogut played offensively, he also surrendered 16 to Russian big man Alexei Savrasenko.

Aside from Bogut, the Aussies also got 22 from mercurial combo guard C.J. Bruton and a total of 30 from their big man troika of David Andersen, Matt Nielsen, and Chris Anstey.  And as is usually the case, the Aussies' success hinged largely on a good night from three point range, making 11/24 from distance--with even Bogut calmly knocking 2/3 threes (with defenders around, too).

Australia's final group game will be on Monday when they take on undefeated Lithuania, but don't think they'll be content to limp into the quarters. Bogut knows they have a major incentive to upset the Lithuanians.

"We have one more game in hand," Bogut said. "We want to beat Lithuania. If we don't win that game, we know it's a (quarter-final) match-up against the United States."

My expert recommendation: beat the Lithuanians, Drew.

Brian Windhorst in Cleveland says it's done: the Bucks, Cavs, and Sonics will be completing a trade shortly that sends Mo Williams to Cleveland, Luke Ridnour, Damon Jones, and Adrian Griffin to Milwaukee and Desmond Mason and Joe Smith to Oklahoma City.

As we broke down yesterday, Ridnour's been disappointing the past two seasons but is owed far less on his current deal than Mo: $13 million total for the next two seasons compared to Williams' $43 million over the next five.  Jones had a quasi-breakout season with the Bucks in 03/04 following the injury to T.J. Ford and has an expiring deal worth $4.46 million. Griffin is a journeyman swingman who previously played for Scott Skiles in Chicago, but his $1.711 million 08/09 salary is reportedly non-guaranteed. 

In sum the Bucks would be shipping out $13.653 million while adding $12.671 million, providing about  $1 million additional room under the 08/09 luxury tax.  If Griffin is cut then the deal would net them about $2.7 million under the tax this year, but they probably won't be able to spend it all anyway.  Since Mason was expiring, the 09/10 benefit is simply the difference between Williams' and Ridnour's deals, which is $1.853 million.  The bigger cap benefits would come the following summer when Ridnour's deal comes off the books.

Acquiring two point guards for Williams leaves the Bucks with a logjam in the backcourt--Ramon Sessions, Tyronn Lue, Jones, and Ridnour would all be battling for time.  And if the Francisco Elson signing still happens as expected then the Bucks would be at the maximum roster size of 15.  That might suggest the Bucks aren't done dealing, but in moving Williams and Mason's expiring deal they now only have Charlie Villanueva left as an obvious trade chip--and they might be too thin at PF to deal him anyway. 

Meanwhile, Jones, Ridnour, and Griffin, cannot be traded with any other players for two months, but could be traded individually at any point.   So hypothetically if Miami decided they wanted Luke Ridnour tomorrow, they could have him for Udonis Haslem straight up (not that I'm expecting that to happen).  The current roster assuming the deal happens and Elson is also signed:

PG: Sessions/Lue/Ridnour/Jones
SG: Redd/Bell
SF: Jefferson/Alexander/Mbah a Moute/Griffin
PF: Villanueva/Allen
C: Bogut/Elson/Gadzuric

The guard situation in particular seems a bit odd, so I'm curious to see what the spin ends up being from the Bucks' perspective.  Clearly Mo Williams was viewed by the Bucks as deadweight in spite of his offensive productivity, and one can only assume that the trade market for him was minimal given the lack of discussion up until now.  Most Bucks fans would agree that the Mo/Redd combination just wasn't going to work--having two scorers in the backcourt who don't defend is awfully tough to pull off.  And since the Jefferson trade there's been a clear message that Redd was staying, which left Williams as the odd man out.

Talent-wise the Bucks would clearly get the short end of the stick, but then again the questions about Mo have never been related to talent.  Clearly the Bucks view this as addition by subtraction, though that might be tougher to sell to the average fan. The Bucks will get some financial benefits over the next two years and then even more flexibility once Ridnour's deal is up in 2010, but the near-term benefits won't be the same as they would have gotten in a straight salary dump. That suggests Hammond and Skiles do see Ridnour as more than just cap relief, though it's not clear what the point guard pecking order will look like once the dust settles.

As for Mo, he could be a terrific fit next to LeBron in Cleveland, where he'll also be surrounded by a more defensive starting lineup than in Milwaukee.

• All you need to know about the Mo Williams-to-Cleveland rumors.  Well, most of it at least.
• For the Cleveland perspective, be sure to check out both CavsBoard and Waiting for Next Year.
• Team USA cruised to another group victory in group play, downing Angola 97-76.  Mike Redd was just 1/4 for two points in 14 minutes.  Nobody recaps better than Kelly Dwyer, so just read what he wrote.
  
• Also at BDL, Skeets has a priceless pic of Michael Redd.
• Andrew Bogut and Australia were dealt their second loss in as many games by Argentina, falling 85-68.  Bogut continues to look a bit out of sorts and underutilized, scoring just seven points with four boards and three blocks. Charlie did a liveblog for us with all the details from the game.  Really, all of them.
  
• The Bratwurst takes on the Mo rumors.

  How would this trade affect the Bucks? I don’t think they will win more with Ridnour than they would with Mo. But they wouldn’t lose more, and they would have much more roster flexibility going forward.

  I liked former Indiana PF D.J. White a lot before the draft, so Brett's suggested deal that adds him to the equation works for me.  I think OKC needs more than just Szczerbiak's expiring deal, though.
  
• The Bob Boozer Jinx breaks it down, too.  One thing to note is that teams aren't required by the CBA to take a minimum amount of salary back.  Usually they need to in order to make the deal work for a trade partner, since the maximum a team can acquire is 125% of the salaries they send out plus $100,000.  For example, the Bucks can't trade Mo ($8.353 million) for Luke Ridnour ($6.5 million) straight up, but it's not because league rules forbid them from shedding the salary.  Rather, OKC in that scenario would be taking on more than 125% of Ridnour's $6.5 million + $100,000, so it's the OKC perspective which would cause the problem. 
  
  In a three-team trade like the one being proposed, the Bucks could effectively swap Mo for Ridnour so long as none of the other teams were taking back too much.  However, in the reported Joe Smith, Mo Williams, and Luke Ridnour version of the deal, Cleveland is only sending out $4.795 million and taking back $8.353 million.  That'd be OK if they were far enough under the cap, but like most teams they're not.  If Cleveland were to add players worth a little more than $1.8 million to the deal--whether to OKC or Milwaukee wouldn't matter for cap purposes--then it would work.  
• Marty Burns at SI has MIlwaukee ranked 12th in the East...for now.

  New GM John Hammond made one of the big trades of the summer, acquiring Richard Jefferson from the Nets for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Jefferson, along with new coach Scott Skiles, should help improve a woeful Bucks defense. With Michael Redd, Mo Williams, Andrew Bogut, Desmond Mason and Charlie Villanueva, Milwaukee already had enough firepower to score with any team. The trick will be just how fast Skiles can implement his system, and whether there is enough bulk in the frontcourt.

Both Charles Gardner of the Journal-Sentinel and Ric Bucher of ESPN are reporting that the Bucks could be closing in on a three-team deal that would send Mo Williams to Cleveland and Luke Ridnour from Oklahoma City to Milwaukee.  Bucher further names Joe Smith as the primary piece headed to Oklahoma City, but cautions that Cleveland is now "balking" at Williams' contract (five years, $43 million) and that the deal has stalled.  Earlier, Gardner reported that both Smith and restricted free agent guard Delonte West could be involved on the Cleveland end. 

The Cavaliers have been unable to come to a contract agreement with point guard Delonte West, who is a restricted free agent this summer, and he could be part of the deal in a sign-and-trade, according to reports. Or Oklahoma City could receive former Bucks forward Joe Smith, who has an expiring contract and will be paid $4.8 million next season.

The Bucks are interested in Ridnour, according to league sources. The 6-foot-2 guard from Oregon has played five seasons for the SuperSonics since being selected 14th overall in the 2003 draft.

Three-way deals generally aren't simple to begin with, but the differing cap/luxury tax situations of the three teams only further complicates things.  Let's take a look at the different angles.

Continue reading this post »

• Jorge Sierra at HoopsHype reports free agent big man Francisco Elson is "leaning" towards the Bucks, while also weighing offers from the Hawks and FC Barcelona. Especially with Chris Andersen and Kwame Brown now off the market, Elson's one of the few proven free agent big men still available.  And with 13 men currently on the roster and only $2.06 million available under the luxury tax, the Bucks will need an affordable big like Elson to fill their need at PF/C.
  
  The major concern is that while Elson was solid in 05/06 and 06/07, starting 41 and 54 games in Denver and San Antonio respectively, he suffered a major dropoff last year. His PER tumbled from 11.26 to just 6.84 while splitting time between San Antonio and the rebuilding Sonics. At the age of 32 he's not getting any better, so the Bucks would have to hope that Elson's 07/08 was more of a fluke than an indication of his imminent decline. As a mobile big man who can guard both big positions, Elson would provide cover at the 4/5 much like Brian Skinner did two years ago.  And he would put the Bucks in the unique position of having both of the NBA's Dutch big men. We might have to start printing up some "Double Dutch" t-shirts.
• Check out the Olympic hoops broadcast schedule.  Coverage of Team USA's opener against China starts at 9:15 am CT on NBC, while Andrew Bogut and Australia open group play against Croatia at 7 am.  You'll have to watch online to catch that one. 
• Nike has a pretty cool Marvin Gaye-inspired promo of Mike Redd and the 2008 edition of Team USA.

Even Mike Redd was getting into the dunkathon (and didn't hurt himself).

• Mike Redd helped Team USA throttle Lithuania yesterday 120-84 (recap / photos). Redd scored 16 points (6/10 fg, 4/8 3fg) in just over 14 minutes, as the Americans also got 19 from Dwyane Wade and 17 from Dwight Howard. Team USA plays Russia on Sunday at 2 am CT on ESPN2.
  
• Australia led most of the game but couldn't fend off defending Olympic champion Argentina in the final of the FIBA Diamond Ball tournament, losing 95-91 (recap / photos). A day after his 32-point performance against Angola, Andrew Bogut saw fairly limited action and was icing down an apparent ankle injury near the end of the game.  Bogut was mostly invisible in the 20 minutes he did play, taking just three shots en route to four points (1/3 fg, 2/2 ft) and two rebounds.  Australia will face Team USA in a pre-Olympic exhibition game at 7 am CT on Tuesday, also on ESPN2.
• Watch the final two minutes of Australia's 81-78 win on Thursday.
• The Bob Boozer Jinx has more on the Australia and USA games.
• Green Bandwagon has a comprehensive look at the Australian roster.
• Ridiculous Upside is thinking long and hard about the Bucks' uncertain D-League situation.
• The inimitable Elie Seckbach of Fanhouse has a video interview with Redd. Among the topics: how Redd balances religion and basketball as well as his close friendship with Kobe Bryant.
  

Bogut talks to FIBA.com about his big night

• As noted this morning, Andrew Bogut carried Australia to an 81-78 win over African champion Angola this morning (recap / photos).  Bogut made 13/18 fg, 1/2 3fg and 5/6 ft en route to a monster 32-point, 11-rebound performance against the undersized Angolans. Still, the Aussies' needed a buzzer-beating three from guard C.J. Bruton to pull it out.
  

  "All of these preparation games are really important to get a feel for the ball, for the different style of refereeing," he said.
  
  "It's more a European style of game and that is different from the Australian and NBA game and we have to get used to that."

  With the win Australia finished atop group A at 2-0 and will play Group B winner Agrentina in the Diamond Ball final tomorrow morning. The Argentines also finished 2-0 and boast a stacked roster that includes Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni, Fabricio Oberto, and Carlos Delfino. The size of Oberto and Scola should provide a bit more resistance for Aussie's frontcourt trio of Bogut, David Andersen, and Chris Anstey, but Argentina's backcourt should also have its way with the Aussie guards.
  
• Team USA dispatched a pesky Turkey squad 114-822 this morning in Macao. Michael Redd was a non-factor in making 1/3 fg and scoring four points, but Ersan Ilyasova started for the Turks and contributed 10 points and five boards. Bucks.com has more terrific coverage of all the Olympic action.
  
• For more on Ilyasova and his future with the Bucks, check out Charlie's interview with Dave Babcock.
• Alex takes a look at the double-edged sword of Charlie Villanueva's perimeter game.
• Ridiculous Upside broke news today that OKC owner Clay Bennett is buying the Tulsa 66ers. The 66ers have been the Bucks' shared D-League affiliate the past three seasons, providing (sometimes) valuable minutes for the development of Ramon Sessions, Ilyasova, David Noel, and (of course) the Damir Markota Experience.  The NBA announced in June that Tulsa would be the affiliate for both the Bucks and OKC, but it's not yet clear how OKC's outright ownership will change that.  The only other D-League squads owned by NBA teams are the L.A. D-Fenders (Lakers) and Austin Toros (Spurs), and neither shares an affiliation with another team. Every other D-League team has two NBA affiliates, so there's not an obvious alternative for the Bucks.  UPDATE: the official press release notes that OKC will have "exclusive rights to assign its players with one or two years of NBA experience to the 66ers."
  
• Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Ramon Sessions, Charlie Bell, and Bob Lanier will be hanging out at the Wisconsin State Fair this weekend.
• The 17th Annual PCC/Milwaukee Bucks Golf Tournament to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will be held September 22 at Ozaukee Country Club.  Check out the link for information on how you can take part. 
  

Bogut and Yao battled on Chinese turf Wednesday (SINA)

• Australia handled China 67-55 in group play of the FIBA Diamond Ball tournament in Nanjing this morning (recap / photos). Andrew Bogut was a bit rusty in his first action of the summer, scoring nine points (4/12 fg, 1/3 fg, 0/4 ft) along with eight boards, two blocks, four fouls, and three turnovers in 23 minutes.  But even Yao Ming (14 pts, 7 rebs, 5 tos, 4 pf in 30 min) couldn't carry his Chinese team, which shot just 33% and turned it over 24 times. Yi Jianlian went scoreless in 24 minutes on 0/3 fg, so Bucks fans don't have to regret the Jefferson trade just yet.  The Chinese were playing just a day after beating Angola in their group opener, while Australia faces the Angolans tomorrow. 
• Check out Joe Alexander's glamor shots from the NBA's rookie photo shoot. Seductive Joe?  Check.  Vanilla Sky?  Check.  Spider-Man? Check.  And then you've got this picture.  Joe's currently rocking the wispy mustache/facial hair look, so by training camp I'm hoping he has the old school Tampa Bay Buccaneer look going. Never understimate the power of the mustache, people.
• Remember that preseason trip to China the Bucks announced last spring?  It's evidently still a possibility despite Yi's departure for New Jersey.  The good people in the Bucks' PR department informed me yesterday that it's a league decision at this point and out of the Bucks' hands, so expect a final decision in the coming weeks when the preseason and regular season schedules are officially released. 
  
  Yi's Nets are already scheduled to take part in the NBA Europe Live tour with games against the Heat in Paris October 9 and London October 12, so don't expect them to play a role in the NBA's China tour.  It would obviously be ironic if the Bucks ended up in China, but at least Alexander could provide his translation skills.
• Ben from Third Quarter Collapsee posted a fanshot linking Dave Berri's comparison of Andrew Bogut and Emeka Okafor, both of whom have new contracts averaging $12 million per season.
  

  Bogut has only played three seasons. And across these three seasons he has produced 22.6 wins. Okafor just finished his fourth season, so his career Wins Produced is higher. But when we look at Okafor’s first three seasons we only see 23.4 wins. Yes, Okafor’s per-minute performance was much better (0.193 WP48 vs. a 0.148 mark for Bogut). Bogut, though, played 1,522 more minutes in his first three seasons. Consequently Bogut was able to nearly match Okafor’s production of wins.