The Milwaukee Bucks have no shot to be good but I like them anyway.

I like the fact shooting guard Michael Redd is set to return from a season-ending knee injury, and big man Andrew Bogut's back is apparently feeling better.

I like the fact I'll get to watch defensive-minded swingman Luc Mbah a Moute improve following a solid rookie season. I don't like the fact I'll have to type his name for another season, but hey, you can't have everything.

And I like the fact Scott Skiles is returning as coach, free-agent pickup Amir Johnson will finally get a real chance to play, and lottery pick Brandon Jennings has become the team's Point Guard of the Future.

I know, I know. The Bucks traded Richard Jefferson to San Antonio for an old pair of sweat socks, and lost forward Charlie Villanueva to free agency (he signed with Detroit).

Actually, the Bucks got 38-year old swingman Bruce Bowen from the Spurs in return for Jefferson, but it's not real likely Bowen will ever suit up for the team.

But that's beside the point.

What really matters is the Bucks do have a few capable veterans (Redd, Bogut, point guard Luke Ridnour) and a bunch of young guys who could be fun to watch (Mbah a Moute, Jennings, Joe Alexander and even second-round pick Jodie Meeks).

I expect versatile guard Ramon Sessions to re-sign with the team too -- and he's not too shabby himself.

Now, I'm not here to tell you the Bucks will compete with the Clevelands and Orlandos of the world, or even the Atlanta Hawks for that matter.

In fact, the only time the Bucks have a chance to be the top story on SportsCenter is if Kobe Bryant or LeBron James or some other big-name superstar is dunking on their head. And at first glance, it seems like GM John Hammond doesn't really have a plan. It's almost as if Hammond went to the junkyard, grabbed random pieces of scrap metal and decided, "Hey, I might be able to make a car that runs out of this."

And he might. But I doubt it.

So I'm not here to try to convince you to buy what Hammond is selling. I'm just saying it might not be a bad idea to see how it comes together.

When healthy, Redd is certainly worth watching. Bogut and Sessions are capable of big nights, too. And if nothing else, Jennings will provide a few breathtaking moments. He's just that kind of player -- the kind of young man who plays with lots of confidence and passion.

As Skiles told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, "Brandon plays with a flair a lot of players don't have. ... The tools are there; the talent is there. You've got to be blind not to see that."

Yes, the 19-year old Jennings and some of the other youngsters will cause Skiles to lose the hair he hasn't had since the team drafted him in 1985. Yes, the Bucks will really miss Villanueva and especially, Jefferson.

And yes, you will probably need a subscription to NBA League Pass if you hope to ever see them play -- as the Bucks will never be half of the ESPN or TNT game of the week.

I'm not gonna lie. They stand a good chance to finish with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

How's that for a season forecast?

Still, this isn't about wins and losses. It's about continuing to learn Skiles' no-nonsense philosophy, weeding out the guys who can't cut it and revamping around the guys who can.

It's about allowing Redd and Bogut to carry the load as the rookies and second-year guys develop. It's about beginning to get an idea of what type of organization you can become.

The Bucks already have a feel for that, particularly with Skiles in charge. That's not to say, of course, that they have any illusions.

"I don't want this to sound too negative and I hope it doesn't come off like that," Skiles told the Journal-Sentinel. "But what we have isn't good enough. Even when healthy, our record wasn't so far above .500 that if you project that forward, we'd be a home-court advantage team."

At the same time, there's something to be said for having goals. And it just might be more interesting than you think watching the Bucks try to meet them.

"We want to be a perennial home-court advantage team (in the playoffs), a perennial team that's going to be right there all the time," Skiles said. "We're not that type of team right now. We've got a ways to go."

But I like the Bucks anyway and it's OK for you to do the same.

Sam Amico is the editor of Pro Basketball News. He can be reached at amico@probasketballnews.com.

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