With most teams in the NBA trying to free up space to chase the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in this summer's Free Agent Frenzy, the Milwaukee Bucks got an early start when it comes to offseason improvements. Over the past two weeks, Milwaukee has quickly gone from a low playoff seed to an Eastern Conference contender.
Leading up to the draft, the Bucks sent Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric to Golden State in exchange for Corey Maggette. With Maggette's addition, the team will almost instantly replace the points John Salmon's provided last season. Even though he has never really been part of a solid roster with serious playoff aspirations, Maggette has career averages of 16.6 ppg and 5.1 rbg. If his production stays on the same level, the Bucks will have another serious scoring threat.The Bucks also made a deal to acquire former Memphis Tiger's standout Chris Douglas-Roberts from the New Jersey Nets for a future second round pick. This deal could turn out to be one of the biggest steals of the summer for Milwaukee. Douglas-Roberts will immediately bring scoring, versatility, and hustle with him to the Bucks. Posting career best averages of 9.8 ppg and 3.0 rpg last season, look for CDR to continue his improvement and take his game to another level. I feel sorry for the Nets, they just gave away a future 15-8-3 player for a pick that will probably yield nothing.
With the 15th pick in the 2010 Draft, the Bucks chose Larry Sanders out of VCU. While I think Patrick Patterson would have been a better fit, Sanders was the best power forward still available at their selection (Patterson went with the previous pick to Houston). The Bucks weakest position currently on the roster was power forward, and the team addressed it with their first choice in the draft, a move deserving praise considering recent blunders by GM's such as Larry Bird and David Kahn in the draft. Sanders has the potential to be the team's starter at power forward and could be an instant sensation for the Bucks. The team almost drafted F Tiny Gallon out of Oklahoma. While Gallon brings baggage with him from college, he provides valuable depth in the front court.
Even though the team will lose John Salmons, picked up at last season's trade deadline, the team will likely have on of the best starting line-ups in the Eastern Conference. With a potential starting group of Brandon Jennings - Maggette - CDR - Sanders - Andrew Bogut, I expect the Bucks to finish in the top four out East this season, locking up home court advantage in the procress. Don't forget they have one of the best candidates for Sixth Man of the year in Michael Redd. If he can't come back from his injuries, the team will have one of the most valuable expiring contracts in the league at $18 million. My final prediction for the Bucks: Making the second round of the playoffs and depending on what the East looks like, they could make a deep run.
