Fri Jul 24, 2009 10:15 am EDT
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.
Ball Don't Lie is an NBA blog edited by J.E. Skeets. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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39 Comments
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Best Regards,
Bucks Fan For Life
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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
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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.
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