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SUN., APR 20, 2008 - 7:28 PM
Oates: Bogut, Yi keepers for Bucks
By TOM OATES
608-252-6172
While the Milwaukee Bucks are cleaning house in the front office and on the coaching staff, it's time to play my favorite parlor game regarding teams that basically are starting over.

The test involves one question: Which members of this year's team will be part of the playing rotation when the Bucks win the NBA championship?

OK, you can stop laughing now. I'm well aware that the Bucks haven't won a title in 37 years and have won more than 42 games just once in the past 17 seasons, including this year's 26-win calamity.

Just humor me on this because, although many of the Bucks are overpaid and thus hard to move, there will be roster changes. So, of the key players, who is good enough to be part of a champion?

Michael Redd: The Bucks have tried for five years to win with Redd as their best player and it hasn't worked. He would be great in a supporting role for a superstar -- are you listening, Cleveland? -- but this season proved that Redd will never accept that role with the Bucks. He's a liability on defense and a stop sign on offense, so he needs to be replaced.

Mo Williams: Williams is not a pure point guard and he's not tall enough to be a full-time shooting guard, but he's a great shooter and capable ball-handler who would be outstanding as the first guard off the bench. In that role, he could stay.

Andrew Bogut: The biggest bright spot this season was the development of Bogut into a top 10 center. He'll never be dominant, but teams have won titles with worse centers. The Bucks should build around him.

Yi Jianlian: Yi ran out of gas midway through his rookie season and might do so again next season after a summer of Olympic hoops, but he showed more than enough promise to consider him part of the solution. Whether it's at small forward or power forward, Yi will be a solid starter in time.

Desmond Mason: His enthusiasm alone makes him worth his salary and he loves Milwaukee. Although he doesn't have a good enough jump shot to be a starter, he could stick as an energy player off the bench.

Charlie Villanueva: Yes, he can fill it up on offense. But on a soft team, he's the softest player. And on the NBA's worst defensive team, he's the worst defender. Unless he learns to concentrate, he's not a winning player and therefore won't be around.

Charlie Bell: It's hard to believe that the tough-minded warrior we watched at Michigan State would allow contract politics to destroy his focus and his season, but Bell did. If he gets his head right, he could be a valuable reserve.

Bobby Simmons: At one point in his career, he could have provided good firepower off the bench. That time has passed.

Dan Gadzuric: The only one in the organization who valued Gadzuric was general manager Larry Harris, and Harris is gone. But Gadzuric has three more years on his contract and will stay. But he can't be anything more than the 11th or 12th man.

Ramon Sessions: Don't go overboard on those eye-popping, end-of-the-season statistics because the rookie has a long way to go before he's a starting NBA point guard. A backup on a good team? Now that's a definite possibility.


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