Despite having Mark Stein’s first-trimester MVP, the Bucks find themselves at just 16-18, in last place in the Central division and about to face four-to-six weeks without said MVP.  Already missing Bobby Simmons and Charlie Villanueva, and possibly missing Mo Williams, it may finally be time for FBB’s favorite NBA player who’s not on the Wizards to finally take over like we all know he can.  Without further ado…

Michael Redd, SG
Redd’s played in at least 75 games each of the last four years, so odds are he’ll come back from this injury just fine, but knees are always tricky.  Still, the Bucks will be in the hunt for a playoff spot and so Redd should be back in action as soon as possible.  He was having arguably the best year of his career and this is a big loss for his owners, but you’re never going to get full value for him.  You’re just going to have to live with this one … right DM?  VERDICT: HOLD.

Mo Williams, PG
Not only are we NOT doctors here at FBB, but I’m having a horrendous year in terms of guessing which guys are gonna be hurt.  So please don’t put any stock into what I have to say: I think Williams is a great buy right now.  Even if he misses a game or two with a bad shoulder, he’s going to be a major weapon fort his team until Redd returns.  You might be able to catch an owner worried about the shoulder who can’t afford another injured player, and get Williams at a pretty big discount.  If that’s the case, by all means do it. WIlliams was apparently schedule for an MRI on tuesday so we should know more shortly. VERDICT: BUY.

Ruben Patterson, SF
Last week I discussed guys who have been undervalued this year and skipped right over Patterson (though I managed to include Luke Ridnour.  Sweet.).  Sure his FT% has been awful, but the facts are the facts - he’s in the mid-90’s on the APR for the year, which makes him ownable and startable in almost all leagues.  Now that’s Redd’s out for awhile, Patterson should be even more valuable, and I’d be surprised if he didn’t come in somewhere around 70, at least, on the APR for the next month.  VERDICT: BUY.

Charlie Bell, PG/SF
After Redd got hurt over the weekend, I quickly snatched up Bell, and he rewarded me with a 3-12, 1 board, 2 assist, 8 point effort Monday.  Thanks, Chuck!  Still, he should be a nice source of threes and steals while he’s depended on to fill some of Redd’s production.  Bell was a borderline bench guy before now, and he should probably be starting in leagues at this point, but I’d be wary of over-buying here.  He was already seeing 35 mpg in the month of December, so he won’t benefit from a big jump in PT.  The jump in production is going to have to come from being more active whlie he’s on the court, and there’s not much evidence to say that he’ll do that.  VERDICT: HOLD.

Steve Blake, PG and FBB all-time favorite
The undoubted non-game related highlight of the NBA season thusfar was sitting at the Visitor’s tunnel at the Wizards vs. Bucks game in November and getting to slap hands with Blake (note: NBA players do fist-bumps, not high-fives.  Something to keep in mind).  Anyhow, Blake as had a down year thusfar but filled in nicely for Williams in the second half on Monday’s game, coming through with 11/5/7 with 3 3’s and his third block of the year.  As much as we love him, Blake is really no better than a Utility guy even when he’s getting 25-30 mpg.  His FG% is awful, but he’ll contribute minimially in threes and assists.  If Williams is down for more than a few games, Blake is worth a roster spot but I would fall over yourself rushing to pick him up.  VERDICT: HOLD.

Charlie Villanueva, F
The news hasn’t been good for Villanueva, who’s out for another week after receiving a cortisone shot in his shoulder, and still might require season-ending surgery.  If you’re desperate for a roster spot Villanueva is probably not worth holding on to at this point - he’s not performing “any basketball activity” during the next week so it’s not like he’s going to jump right back in to a starting role.  If you can manage to hold out for another week until we get another report, I don’t blame you, but don’t let him be a detriment to your flexibility in picking up someone who can help your team right now.  VERDICT: SELL.

Andrew Bogut, C
You know, we pegged Bogut in the 70’s on our overall rankings in the preseason, and he’s sitting at 76 on the APR, so why does it feel like he’s been a disappointment so far this year?  He’s not asserting himself on offense, doesn’t block shots nearly as much as a guy his size should, and while he’s supposedly a deft passer, his assists aren’t enough to really make an impact.  While by all accounts, he had a horrendous game against Denver on Monday, the number that I’m most interested in is the 15 shots he took, a new season high, in just 25 minutes of action.  With all of his fellow starters falling down around him, Bogut may just have a chance to establish himself as an offensive go-to-guy.  There’s been a lot of attention paid to the Bucks backcourt, but it might be that the biggest benefactor of this mess is standing right under the basket.  VERDICT: BUY.