Despite its offseason losses and the promising 2014 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks insists it won't tank the 2013-14 season.
Bucks general manager John Hammond is rebuilding with youth, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. While there's certain to be bumps along the way, Hammond insisted this week the team wouldn't tank for a higher draft pick next summer.
"Some people use these works like 'tanking,' so to speak," Hammond said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We're by no means in that made whatsoever. We're trying to remain competitive. I think we can be a competitive team. But also we really want to start focusing on the youth of this team and start talking about things like a championship-caliber team. Can they develop into a core like that? I think they can.
"We're going to have to have the right kind of people, people that say I want to be a part of that and I'm going to work hard to become that."
Given the busy offseason Milwaukee had, the team doesn't appear intent to throw the season away for a higher lottery-pick percentage.
Unable to sign Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague, Milwaukee traded Brandon Jennings to Detroit in exchange for Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton and Vyacheslav Kravtsov.
The Bucks also added to its roster O.J. Mayo, Gary Neal, Carlos Delfino, Zaza Pachulia and Luke Ridnour, along with 2013 draft pick Giannis Antetokounmpo. Behind the projected starting-five of Knight, Mayo, Delfino, Ersan Ilyasova and Larry Sanders, Milwaukee has a solid foundation to build on.
As for Knight essentially swapping places with Jennings, Knight wants to improve as a guard and make a push for an All-Star invitation.
"I'm not going to sit here and say I'm perfect," Knight said. "Me as a player, I work on a lot of things. I can improve defensively, pick-and-rolls I can improve offensively. I can be more efficient."
Milwaukee starts its season on the road against the New York Knicks on Oct. 30.
