Porter's project

Rebuilbt Bucks present a challenge for new coach

John Hollinger, SI.com

Bucks at a Glance Head coach: Terry Porter 2002-03: 42-40 2002-03 Stats Key Additions PG T.J. Ford (draft) PF Joe Smith (T'wolves) PF Brian Skinner (76ers) PG Erick Strickland (Pacers) PG Damon Jones (Kings) Key Losses PG Gary Payton (Lakers) PG Sam Cassell (T'wolves) C Ervin Johnson (T'wolves) Projected Lineup Starters Reserves PG  T. Ford E. Strickland SG  M. Redd D. Mason SF  T. Thomas T. Kukoc PF  J. Smith B. Skinner C  D. Gadzuric J. Przybilla

Was it really just a little over two years ago that George Karl and the Big Three were playing Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals? It seems impossible given how much has changed since then. Karl and the Big Three are no longer, and the Bucks are firmly in the throes of a rebuilding project that may take a couple of years to produce fruit.

The Big Three were dispersed in separate deals over a 12 month period -- First Glenn Robinson to Atlanta, then Ray Allen to Seattle, and finally Sam Cassell to Minnesota this summer. Amazingly enough, the Bucks failed to bring back the quality big man the team so desperately needs in any of the three trades.

Meanwhile, Karl had increasingly grated on his team and was shown the door, to be replaced by Milwaukee native Terry Porter. Porter will need to show more patience, as the Bucks don't have the same kind of star talent that they've packed the past few seasons.

However, the cupboard isn't bare. First-round draft pick T.J. Ford will join with Michael Redd -- who was unjustly hosed for last year's Sixth Man award -- form a promising backcourt. Free agent pick-ups Erick Strickland and Brian Skinner should give the team more of a defensive mentality than it had a year ago. And Joe Smith, acquired in the Cassell trade, gives the Bucks a true power forward instead of a masquerading wing player.

Wingmen. The Bucks were a lethal offensive force a year ago, finishing fifth in the NBA in scoring despite hardly ever running a fast break. Despite losing Sam Cassell and Gary Payton, they still should be a pretty decent offensive team because they have so many wing players who can put the ball in the basket.

The conversation starts with Redd, who is quite possibly the NBA's most underrated player. A deadly shooter with a quick release, he played just 28 minutes a game a year ago and still nearly led the league in 3-pointers while making an astounding 44 percent. He'll be the featured scorer now that Cassell and Payton are gone, and has a shot at making the All-Star team with a consistent 40 minutes a night.

There's plenty after Redd, however. Tim Thomas has underachieved at the small forward spot, but he also repeatedly clashed with Karl and may find his ouster liberating. He has the skills to be a potent inside/outside force and Milwaukee hopes this is the year he'll finally deliver on his considerable promise. Desmond Mason, acquired in the Allen trade, is one of the best bench players in the league. He's especially valuable at the defensive end where he'll give Milwaukee the aggressive perimeter defender that was missing in previous seasons. Deeper on the bench lurks Toni Kukoc, a brilliant passer and matchup nightmare whose effectiveness at age 35 depends on his balky back.

Defense. The Bucks were an awful defensive team a year ago, and don't figure to get much better in 2003-04. At point guard, Ford is listed at 5-foot-10 and may not even be that tall, which will paint a target on his forehead from the first tip-off. Small forward is another concern, since Thomas' defensive effort comes and goes (mostly it goes) and Kukoc stopped playing defense several years ago.

The big problem is up front, however, where the big men are mostly inadequate. Smith provides a passable power forward who willingly takes charges, but his lack of size echoes a similar problem that plagued Milwaukee last year, when Anthony Mason (whom the Bucks are considering paying $10 million to go away) and Jason Caffey took turns getting abused. The addition of Brian Skinner off the bench should help, however.

At center, the Bucks are a long-running disaster with no end in sight. Dan Gadzuric makes for a good third-string center -- unfortunately, he'll be starting. Meanwhile, weight doesn't get much deader than Joel Przybilla, who had almost twice as many fouls as points a year ago.

Will they ever find a decent center? Can this possibly be the same franchise that played its first game with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the middle? To envision how bad it's been of late, consider this scary thought: Ervin "Tragic" Johnson was easily the best Bucks center of the past decade. After him, it's been a parade of Joel Przybillas and Andrew Langs passing through the Bradley Center. The George Karl era featured such bad pivot play that the days of Frank Brickowski are fondly remembered as a high point in the recent history of Milwaukee centers.

The Bucks won't have many weapons in the middle this year, either. Przybilla is a shot-blocker who tries to avoid getting in the way on offense but rarely succeeds, and he doesn't block enough shots or gather nearly enough rebounds to make up for it. Gadzuric showed promising athleticism as a rookie, but is soft, lacks coordination and makes mental errors.

As a result, the Bucks will be going small as much as any team in the league. Look for 6-foot-9 Skinner to see a lot of time in the middle, and the Bucks will even turn to Caffey and Smith -- both of whom are undersized even for power forward -- in certain situations. Milwaukee's grab-bag combo in the middle has held them down for most of the past two decades, and the future isn't looking any more promising than the past.

Hoping for a good draft. The Bucks have some promising weapons. Ford and Redd could be one of the East's best backcourts in a few years, Thomas and Desmond Mason are talented wing players, and with Smith and Skinner the power forwards should be quite a bit better than a year ago. But losing three 20-point scorers is going to leave a mark, and the defense isn't nearly good enough to make up for it. Porter can probably squeeze 30 wins out of this team and keep them out of the cellar, but he would be considered a miracle worker if the Bucks made the postseason.

John Hollinger covers basketball for SI.com and is the author of Pro Basketball Prospectus. Click here to send him a question or comment.