re: Calling John Hammond: Why Michael Redd i$ not on hi$ way to Phoenix

J.D. Mo — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:14:21 GMT

One final note: This trade reunites Raja Bell with the coach who first gave him a chance in the NBA, Larry Brown. Bucks fans will remember Bell coming off Brown's Sixers bench against the Bucks in the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals. Bell was a 24-year-old rookie back then.

Meanwhile, I'm hearing more and more scuttlebut that Hammond isn't pursuing a Redd trade but wouldn't be opposed to the right one. Unfortunately, being passive doesn't seem to be helping the Bucks get an edge on any potential deals, not while the competition is being active.

re: Calling John Hammond: Why Michael Redd i$ not on hi$ way to Phoenix

J.D. Mo — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:47:01 GMT

A Phoenix radio station reported that Raja Bell asked to be traded and the Arizona Republic confirmed that report with team sources. There had apparently some friction between Bell and Porter, and the Suns had also turned down his request for a contract extension last summer. At least we know now how we fans were all so caught off guard by the Bell trade, and why he was traded instead of Barbosa.

The book on Barbosa, Suns fans said, was that he was not a Scott Skiles kind of player, and like the laid-back approach of coach Mike D'Antoni, now in New York. Had the Bucks known that Bell -- who is a Skiles kind of player -- had asked to be traded (and I'm not saying they didn't), I would hope GM Hammond made at least some effort to bring Bell to Milwaukee.

Bell asked for trade: