Bucks get Magloire for Mason

[scoutmasterdave]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2204385

The Milwaukee Bucks continued to aggressively reshape their roster Wednesday by beating out several teams to acquire New Orleans/Oklahoma City center Jamaal Magloire, according to NBA front-office sources.

In a trade that will be announced later Wednesday, Milwaukee has agreed to send swingman Desmond Mason, its 2006 first-round pick and cash considerations to the Hornets for Magloire, an East All-Star in 2004.

The Bucks, according to sources, felt they needed a more physical presence on their front line to aid the development of No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut and the recently re-signed Dan Gadzuric.

Given Milwaukee's logjam of swingmen after retaining Michael Redd, trading for Jiri Welsch and signing Bobby Simmons, a trade involving Mason between now and the February deadline was somewhat inevitable. This one gives the Bucks an opportunity to play Magloire and Bogut together, with Simmons starting at the other forward spot. The Bucks also have Gadzuric and Joe Smith in what suddenly looks like a well-rounded frontcourt rotation.

The Hornets have been shopping Magloire for months as part of their own makeover, which accelerated in February when Baron Davis, another former All-Star, was dealt to Golden State.

Coach Byron Scott denied earlier this week that Magloire was available, but the Hornets  rebuilding around the embryonic backcourt of Chris Paul and J.R. Smith and displaced from its home base in New Orleans for at least a season - seized the chance to add another 2006 first-rounder to their own and an athletic swingman with ties to the team's new home state.

Mason, entering his sixth season out of Oklahoma State, carries a career scoring average of 12.9 points per game and averaged a career-best 17.2 points last season.

Magloire played only 23 games in 2004-05 because of a fractured ring finger but averaged 13.6 points and 10.3 rebounds in the previous season. The five-year veteran's 19 points in the 2004 All-Star Game led the East.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

damn the bucks look good....

if TJ Ford is back at full strength and Stotts can put it all together, i like them as a possible EC Finialist. It will be tough but all of a sudden the East is taking shape and might be better than the West.

1.Indy
2.Miami
3.Detroit
4.Millwaukee
5.Cleveland
6.New Jersey

all those teams have at least a legit three or four players and depending on whom stays healthy and who has big seasons (Jefferson and VC are two to watch) it could really end up in any order....still like Indy with the most underrated coach and player in the NBA (Carlisle and artest) i also like Jackivacious...should be interesting....

Kudos to The GM Harris....if hes going out hes doing it in a blaze of glory.....

 

[elindholm]

Dang, Gadzuric should be expendable now and he could really help the Suns. Too bad they have no real way to get him.

 

[scoutmasterdave]

Dang, Gadzuric should be expendable now and he could really help the Suns. Too bad they have no real way to get him.

Yeah, between his BYC status and the fact that he can't be traded until 12/15, that pretty much sucks - he would be a great addition.

 

[elindholm]

Also, this trade leaves the Hornets with virtually no one in the front court. I wonder whether they think Lampe or Vroman is ready to be a rotation player?

 

[myrondizzo]

it's the hornets. im ready to be a rotation player for them.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Wow. Congrats to Larry Harris

 

[sunsfn]

How did Harris do that? Small for big plus middle 1st and cash.

That has to be the best offer New Orleans received, which is interesting in itself.

I would also like to have Gadzuric, but probably not going to happen.

Maybe we can get Wilcox for the ET and a late suns first?

 

[sunsfn]

Updated: Oct. 26, 2005, 3:19 PM Et

ESPN Insider
Bucks now loaded at center

By John Hollinger


I'm not sure the Hornets totally get the concept of rebuilding. The idea is to trade your old players, not your young ones. Yet they now have dealt both Jamaal Magloire and Baron Davis while steadfastly clinging to P.J. Brown and George Lynch. Go figure. At least Mason will help, because the Hornets were desperate at small forward -- Bostjan Nachbar and Rasual Butler would have trouble starting for Yakima, but one of the two was going to start for Charlotte/New Orleans/Baton Rouge/Oklahoma City/Las Vegas. They also have a capable replacement at center for Magloire  make some room for me on the Chris Andersen fantasy bandwagon.


From the Bucks' side, the small-market club now has nearly $80 million in contracts committed to three centers -- who do they think they are, the Knicks? This deal would seem to portend the trade of Dan Gadzuric and his shiny new $36 million deal somewhere down the road -- perhaps at the next exit. However, Gadzuric still may be able to earn minutes behind Magloire if the Bucks play Andrew Bogut at power forward, as now seems likely.


This move also signifies that Milwaukee's hoped-for smallball attack wasn't reaping dividends. Milwaukee tried playing Bobby Simmons and Mason at the forward spots in the preseason but had trouble defending with that alignment because it was so undersized. With Mason gone, Bobby Simmons can move back to his normal position at small forward and become the Bucks' perimeter stopper.


In a rarity, this deal had virtually no contract implications because Magloire's and Mason's deals were nearly identical  both are free agents in 2007. The draft pick from Milwaukee has some value (should it not be lottery-protected) and shouldn't be any later than the high teens, but on the other hand this year's draft is likely to be very weak due to the new age restrictions. Overall, one can't help but thinking the most important considerations for the frugal Hornets were a) the cash Milwaukee included in the deal and b) the lure of Oklahoma State grad Mason for selling tickets in Oklahoma City. Adding Mason might even add a few wins for the Hornets this year because he addresses a glaring weakness, but long term it's a lot easier to be excited about this deal for the Bucks than it is for the Hornets.

 

[coloradosun]

I really wanted the Suns to make a run for Mason before they signed James Jones.

Mason should fill some seats in Oklahoma City for the Hornets.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'd have to wonder how healthy Magloire really is.