Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Is it the worst guess in the world to go ahead and assume that the Milwaukee Bucks won't match an offer sheet handed to Ramon Sessions(notes)

The guy barely got on with Bucks coach Scott Skiles. He was clearly the starter last season, the better point guard, and yet he only started 39 games. Only played about 27.5 minutes per game overall. As a restricted free agent, it makes sense for Milwaukee to let Sessions go out and create his own market, but you've heard nary a whimper from the team regarding its interest in Ramon — and I don't think that's a case of the Bucks just playing it cool.

And I don't think this is a bad idea.

Not playing Sessions proper minutes last season? Yes, that was a bad move. Awful move. Poorly-studied, wrong move.

Letting him waltz away this summer, as an above-average point guard only making the average salary? In Milwaukee's case, I don't mind this.

Why? Because he just doesn't seem like a guy who's worth their time. He's a good player, right now, and if the team is serious about getting better and starting over and shaking things up, do you really want to concern yourself by playing and paying this guy through your rebuilding process?

Match, then trade? You can, but it won't be easy. It rarely is in this league with these RFA types. Just save a little scratch, work through 2009-10 with the uneasy pairing of Luke Ridnour(notes) and Brandon Jennings(notes), and finally give rebuilding a chance.

New York? As much as I dig Sessions, I don't get it either. He's easily worth the full MLE, but to your organization?

I understand that you don't want the cupboard completely bare, as you try to pull in free agents next year. I understand that Ramon won't be making much, he's young and knows how to play, that you might be going for wing types in 2010 and need a point man, while appreciating Sessions' talent and ability to lure.

But every penny counts. And with the cap possibly moving down to about $51 million next summer, do you want someone on your books like Sessions?

It's not an awful or even bad move. I just wonder if going from about $25 million in cap space to $20 million in cap space for Sessions is worth it. Yes, you'd get your point guard in hand regardless of who follows, and Chris Duhon(notes) really isn't much to behold, but I'm just slightly against this. Nothing against Sessions, everything for "every penny counts."

Ramon? Sorry for all the trouble.

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  1. Mitch L
    1. Posted by Mitch L Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:40 am EDT

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    hey KD how much do you hate this guy?
  2. Eric L
    2. Posted by Eric L Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:44 am EDT

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    The most confusing thing for me is that A. Miller is getting offers (or at least his agent has some media figures saying he is getting offers) and Sessions isn't. I wouldn't be surprised if their production is similar next year and after that i think Sessions will run away from a guy like Miller. Neither of them can shoot but at least one of them knows it.
  3. Vittorio De Zen
    3. Posted by Vittorio De Zen Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:53 am EDT

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    It bugs me that Portland ISN'T after this guy. He can play. Miller can, too, but Sessions is 23 and can grow with their core. If they get him for the average salary, and all of their key guys hit their prime at about the same time, watch out.
  4. Tom S
    4. Posted by Tom S Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:56 am EDT

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    Please Bucks, match the offer! The only positive to playing him less than he deserved last year is that he remained under the radar. Now sign him long term and let him and Jennings fight it out. This contract would be very moveable if Jennings becomes the man in a couple years. This should be a no brainer!!!
    Best Regards,
    Bucks Fan For Life
  5. Travis
    5. Posted by Travis Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:35 am EDT

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    Well, with Jennings there, I understand MWK letting him go. But why is Portland apparently uninterested? Maybe they're afraid he can't shoot the three well enough? Neither can Miller, though. I really haven't watched Sessions play much -- maybe his D is weak. ?
  6. TRADE REDD NOW!!
    6. Posted by TRADE REDD NOW!! Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:36 am EDT

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    Talk about a guy who doesn't get the free agent game. Why the hate for Sessions? Oh, that's right, KD hates every player, every team, every team's fans
    To be truthful, not offerign Sessions a contract now is Hammonds best move to date. We'll get Sessions at a discount. This guy's put up big numbers against big teams. And he won't and doesn't run his mouth like Jennings. Go watch Tyreke Evans best game from the Summer League. Isn't that Jennings guarding him?
    LOL...'Yahoo' Sports is right!!! KD's gotta be a Mo Williams fan!
  7. byob4me222
    7. Posted by byob4me222 Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:47 am EDT

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    Brandon Jennings will be the starter for the Bucks to begin the season.
  8. SCSF- LeBron NBA Finals Winless t-shirt ebay
    8. Posted by SCSF- LeBron NBA Finals Winless t-shirt ebay Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:50 am EDT

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    this kid is great trade farmar and brown or sasha for sessions
  9. Smokin Joe Fraze
    9. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:12 pm EDT

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    He should back up Jameer in Warlando!
  10. alex
    10. Posted by alex Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:14 pm EDT

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    You don't rack up 20+ assists in a game without having talent and a knack for the stat. Somewhere he is surely needed.
  11. Michael K
    11. Posted by Michael K Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:42 pm EDT

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    Sessions is a good player, but Ridnoir has a sizable contract that is expiring next summer, and Brandon Jennings better really try and prove he belongs after shooting his mouth off during the entire pre-Draft run-up.
    The Bucks might be best served letting Ramon walk because if you sign him, there are three PG's scrapping for minutes and no one in the locker room will be happy. Use the year to groom Jennings, take the cap space when Ridnoir goes free agent, skip the Luxury tax AND have a little cap flexibility in 2010. What big name F.A. wants to come to MKE in 2010? No one any good, but at least they might be able to dangle some money for once.
  12. alex
    12. Posted by alex Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:48 pm EDT

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    Yeah but someone can always get hurt, and depth is never a bad thing. What if Ridnour or Sessions have a good season, wouldn't they be tradeable? Especially Ridnours expiring contract come trade deadline?
  13. coach5582
    13. Posted by coach5582 Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:20 pm EDT

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    Why don't the knicks offer the MLE for 1 year?
  14. coach5582
    14. Posted by coach5582 Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:22 pm EDT

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    The Knicks obviously want a PG for next year and Sessions would be the perfect fit. Milwaukee might still match it, but this deal gives the Knicks a chance to get Sessions and keeps their cap space available for 2010. The Knicks would also hold the Bird Rights for Sessions after 2010-they sign free agents and then re-sign Sessions to go over the cap. Makes alot of sense...
  15. patgoodman77
    15. Posted by patgoodman77 Fri Jul 24, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    Hey kelly why would u write and artricle like this and try to hurt the negotiations of a young and up and coming player implying that neither team really wants him as good as a year he had last year?
  16. bang,bang
    16. Posted by bang,bang Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:00 pm EDT

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    It's a done deal, the Knicks will offer the three year deal for about low 20 mill deal.. he will go and get the minutes he deserves. Hope you do well Duhon
  17. samo_evropa
    17. Posted by samo_evropa Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:28 pm EDT

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    your article is pure garbage, Sessions is one of the better guards both on d and offense.. if they let him walk i curse Bucks for another 10 years of crap! dont write articles just for the sake without any sense fool
  18. Tom S
    18. Posted by Tom S Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:32 pm EDT

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    Post 16....
    There is no way the bucks do not match a Knicks 3 year deal. Plus, he can't get paid more the the MLE so 3 years $20M can't happen.
    Go Bucks!
  19. Louie
    19. Posted by Louie Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:43 pm EDT

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    go to the knicks! injury prone duhon, a 5'5 shooting guard.Sessions can play center so pick him up Knickerbockers............
  20. Jean
    20. Posted by Jean Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:32 pm EDT

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    Dunno who you are KD, but you don't seem like somebody who knows much about ball or the NBA. Theres 3, maybe 4 names that the Knicks want to shoot for in 2010 - namely LBJ, Dwade and CBosh. These guys are sick of losing and KNOW that their window to win rings is NOW. I don't think an old pg in Duhon or an undersized sg in Nate will lure any of these prospects. Have you even watched sessions play? The kid can play when given the opportunity, especially in an open court system. He's a willing passer and can take the rock to the hoop. He's gonna have to work on his range, but that'll come with more opportunity and hard work in the offseason, unlike Rondo, who has bad shooting form to begin with. Back to my point, you ain't fooling anybody to come to Knicks with a pg like Duhon. I hope you watch more tape of Sessions, cause I've watched 70% of his games since he pulled off that 20assist game 2 years ago, and the kid can play. And at the MLE, with no other young pg prospect available, he'd be worth it. And trust me, he WILL develop.
  21. Carla
    21. Posted by Carla Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:15 pm EDT

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    I wasted 2 minutes of my life reading this......last season was really his rookie year. He only played 17 games his rookie season
  22. rroy
    22. Posted by rroy Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:07 am EDT

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    why is this article so bad? do you have an article quota to fill? or did you just get lazy and wait until deadline? this article gives me no thoughtful insight into ramon sessions as a player or commodity. i could've written this article by looking at depth charts, stat sheets, and team salaries. can you put a little more effort into your articles?
    please refer to this article for an example of deep, thoughtful, and at the very least, diligent, sports journalism:
    http://www.clipsnation.com/2009/7/21/957227/salary-cap-101-now-in-sessions
  23. NoIAm
    23. Posted by NoIAm Sat Jul 25, 2009 2:36 am EDT

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    "...do you really want to concern yourself by playing and paying this guy through your rebuilding process?" Last time I checked, "rebuilds" usually focus around young players, do they not? Sessions is 23 and improving. Given that young, pass-first team leaders are hard to find, if I'm the Bucks and I'm rebuilding, he's the one guy I not only keep, but build around. Jennings is relatively unproven and has done nothing to show, on or off the court, that he's deserving of a starting role, while Ridnour is an expiring contract that the Bucks will probably trade half-way through the season. He's not only worth the mid-level exception, but he's a bargain at that price. I have no doubts that Milwaukee will match any mid-level offer made... I find it hard to believe they entered the off-season with the plan of letting both Villanueva and Sessions go.
  24. marsgeek
    24. Posted by marsgeek Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:37 am EDT

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    This is an interesting case of fans falling in love with a guy because of stats.
    Skiles was a pretty good point guard, and played on teams that won regularly in his career.
    The job of a point guard is to make the players around him better. In short make them more efficient offensive players.
    Because of Skiles' reaction to Sessions as a fan I have tried to watch the game a little discerningly, in particular point guard play.
    Sessions lacks the intangibles that point guards that lead winning teams need. For that reason Skiles wants other options.
    If the goal of Sessions is to play 30-35 minutes a night it will not happen for Skiles.
    Skiles has no confidence that Sessions can be a point guard for a winning /playoff caliber team.
  25. Arman K
    25. Posted by Arman K Sat Jul 25, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    Go to the Clips best destination

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