duncan228
11-23-2009, 12:44 AM
Jefferson remains thankful to Bucks (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Jefferson_remains_thankful_to_Bucks.html)
Jeff McDonald
The past six months have been a half-year of change for Richard Jefferson. He has changed addresses, changed uniforms, changed roles.
Jefferson, however, is happy at least one thing remained the same after his June trade from Milwaukee to the Spurs.
“The paycheck doesn't change,” Jefferson joked.
Indeed, the $14.2 million Jefferson will earn in his first season with the Spurs is the same $14.2 million he was scheduled to earn with the Bucks.
Tonight, Jefferson will attempt to earn his sizeable paycheck with his new team at the expense of his old one. The Bucks visit the AT&T Center for the first time since the trade, which they consummated to clear Jefferson's eight-figure salary from their books.
Jefferson welcomed the change of scenery. It rescued him from the cost-cutting in Milwaukee, put him on a team with perennial championship aspirations and gave him a chance to be, as he put it, “relevant again.”
“I was happy to come to this situation,” said Jefferson, a 6-foot-7 small forward averaging 15.4 points in his first 11 games with the Spurs. “It wouldn't have mattered if I got traded for a bag of chips. I was happy to come to a quality team.”
Jefferson expressed a different sentiment in June 2008, when New Jersey — home for the first seven seasons of his career — dealt him to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian.
He did not want to leave the Nets and said so publicly. He couldn't have gotten a cooler reception among Milwaukee fans had he also come out against beer and bratwurst.
Looking back, Jefferson regrets his initial reaction to his first change of address, saying he had “a great time” in Milwaukee.
“I think I matured a little bit,” said Jefferson, who averaged 19.6 points in 82 games in his lone season in Wisconsin. “I was pretty devastated after the first trade. Things get a little easier after you've been through it.”
So far, the Bucks have gotten along without him. Behind the emergence of rookie guard Brandon Jennings, who nine days ago dumped a 55-point game on Golden State, Milwaukee has been relevant enough, going 8-3 for its best start since 2001-02.
The Bucks have done it mostly without star guard Michael Redd, who has missed nine games with a strained knee.
Jefferson, meanwhile, is still feeling out his role in San Antonio.
At times, he has shown why the Spurs were eager to land him, even at the expense of well-liked veterans Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto. With Tim Duncan and Tony Parker out of the lineup against Toronto and Dallas earlier this month, Jefferson totaled 53 points in a pair of victories.
A game later, with Duncan and Parker back, Jefferson mustered just four shots in a loss to Oklahoma City.
“It's not easy to come to a new team that has a defined structure and try to produce without messing up the system,” Manu Ginobili said. “He's been very good, very patient. He's going to score in some games, in others he won't.”
Off the court, the affable Jefferson has become a popular figure in the Spurs locker room (“a kick in the pants,” coach Gregg Popovich says). On it, he is treading a tightrope, trying to find his shots without stepping on toes.
Jefferson leads the Spurs in free-throw and field-goal attempts yet is averaging 11.4 shots per game, the fewest since his second season.
“It's been a slow process, making sure he fits in correctly,” Popovich said. “He's trying not to make any missteps, either basketball-wise or relationship-wise.”
Despite its ups and downs, Jefferson professes himself happy with his half-year of change. If he could say anything to Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Hammond now, it would be: “Thanks.”
“They put me in a good position with the trade,” Jefferson said. “I'll always have a lot of respect for them for that.”
Jeff McDonald
The past six months have been a half-year of change for Richard Jefferson. He has changed addresses, changed uniforms, changed roles.
Jefferson, however, is happy at least one thing remained the same after his June trade from Milwaukee to the Spurs.
“The paycheck doesn't change,” Jefferson joked.
Indeed, the $14.2 million Jefferson will earn in his first season with the Spurs is the same $14.2 million he was scheduled to earn with the Bucks.
Tonight, Jefferson will attempt to earn his sizeable paycheck with his new team at the expense of his old one. The Bucks visit the AT&T Center for the first time since the trade, which they consummated to clear Jefferson's eight-figure salary from their books.
Jefferson welcomed the change of scenery. It rescued him from the cost-cutting in Milwaukee, put him on a team with perennial championship aspirations and gave him a chance to be, as he put it, “relevant again.”
“I was happy to come to this situation,” said Jefferson, a 6-foot-7 small forward averaging 15.4 points in his first 11 games with the Spurs. “It wouldn't have mattered if I got traded for a bag of chips. I was happy to come to a quality team.”
Jefferson expressed a different sentiment in June 2008, when New Jersey — home for the first seven seasons of his career — dealt him to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian.
He did not want to leave the Nets and said so publicly. He couldn't have gotten a cooler reception among Milwaukee fans had he also come out against beer and bratwurst.
Looking back, Jefferson regrets his initial reaction to his first change of address, saying he had “a great time” in Milwaukee.
“I think I matured a little bit,” said Jefferson, who averaged 19.6 points in 82 games in his lone season in Wisconsin. “I was pretty devastated after the first trade. Things get a little easier after you've been through it.”
So far, the Bucks have gotten along without him. Behind the emergence of rookie guard Brandon Jennings, who nine days ago dumped a 55-point game on Golden State, Milwaukee has been relevant enough, going 8-3 for its best start since 2001-02.
The Bucks have done it mostly without star guard Michael Redd, who has missed nine games with a strained knee.
Jefferson, meanwhile, is still feeling out his role in San Antonio.
At times, he has shown why the Spurs were eager to land him, even at the expense of well-liked veterans Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto. With Tim Duncan and Tony Parker out of the lineup against Toronto and Dallas earlier this month, Jefferson totaled 53 points in a pair of victories.
A game later, with Duncan and Parker back, Jefferson mustered just four shots in a loss to Oklahoma City.
“It's not easy to come to a new team that has a defined structure and try to produce without messing up the system,” Manu Ginobili said. “He's been very good, very patient. He's going to score in some games, in others he won't.”
Off the court, the affable Jefferson has become a popular figure in the Spurs locker room (“a kick in the pants,” coach Gregg Popovich says). On it, he is treading a tightrope, trying to find his shots without stepping on toes.
Jefferson leads the Spurs in free-throw and field-goal attempts yet is averaging 11.4 shots per game, the fewest since his second season.
“It's been a slow process, making sure he fits in correctly,” Popovich said. “He's trying not to make any missteps, either basketball-wise or relationship-wise.”
Despite its ups and downs, Jefferson professes himself happy with his half-year of change. If he could say anything to Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles and general manager John Hammond now, it would be: “Thanks.”
“They put me in a good position with the trade,” Jefferson said. “I'll always have a lot of respect for them for that.”