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The Milwaukee Bucks are asking for the two things they should have no right to expect. They are asking for trust. And they're asking for patience. Combine the franchise's missteps of the last 20 years with the current state of the NBA, and that's sort of like General Motors wanting the public to hold on just a little more for a worthwhile product. The marketplace can only abide for so long. So the news Thursday that Joe Alexander's career went from jumping the tracks to full-scale train wreck because of a hamstring injury would seem to exacerbate the Bucks' credibility issues. Since Alexander -- a Linganore High School graduate -- was among John Hammond's first major decisions as the No. 8 pick in the 2008 draft, should that trust and patience be afforded the general manager as he tries to dig out from all that he inherited? Lest myopia from the Alexander experience affect the long-term view, the answer is a conditional yes. Unquestionably, Hammond blew it with Alexander. The GM has been taking a beating for months from those who insist he should've drafted Brook Lopez, the No. 10 pick who had a very good rookie year in New Jersey. But because the Bucks had already decided to make a $60 million investment in Andrew Bogut, the Lopez argument isn't applicable unless, of course, Lopez goes on to have a better career than Bogut. The Alexander pick stands on its own as a mistake. Even if he somehow develops late as he did at West Virginia, he will do it elsewhere. Not that there was a debate before, but the fact that Alexander is out until maybe February assures that the Bucks will take the unusual move of not extending a lottery pick's contract. But if Alexander is put on one side of a scale and all the other Hammond moves of the past 18 months are placed on the other, the balance is tipped in the GM's favor. His other '08 pick, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, has succeeded beyond the expectations of a second-rounder. On that same draft night, Hammond was able to remove Bobby Simmons' bad paper and Yi Jianlian from the roster. Hammond took on Richard Jefferson for a year and traded him for payroll flexibility, just as Mo Williams' crippling contract was moved and Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva were correctly allowed to walk to create more future cap room. Amir Johnson was acquired, but when someone better (Carlos Delfino) came along, the means was available to shuffle pieces. Together, those moves are consistent with the blueprint Hammond brought from Detroit: Gather as many short-term, inexpensive contracts as possible. And when the time is right, trade those assets for talent within the cap room. That is how the Pistons re-emerged as a dominant team. It doesn't mean the Bucks will follow or that Hammond won't fail. But at minimum, the Bucks are closer to having a chance to succeed than they did a few years ago, when there was no discernible plan. And even when they were good during the George Karl-Ernie Grunfeld era, dysfunction ruled to the point that the coach was allowed to make disastrous (Anthony Mason, Ray Allen) personnel decisions. At least for now, Hammond's vision is shared by Scott Skiles. For any of this to actually work, Hammond's '09 first-round pick, Brandon Jennings, must become a star and Bogut must further develop in a point guard/center dominated league. Another major piece must be identified. And Herb Kohl must continue to allow the GM to do his job. With Alexander being the only tangible evidence so far, Hammond has yet to earn trust. Everything else considered, patience is warranted.
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