A Look Back: What Could've Been for Vin Baker & the Bucks
If you're a Milwaukee Bucks fan or loved Vin Baker back in the day, you probably already know the sad demise of his career. Alcoholism, depression and weight issues took down a 4-time All-Star and drove him into the type of dark place you don't wish on your worst enemies.
It was also a series of bad decisions - often times a result of his kindness to so-called friends - that added to his troubles financially. Of course, it's not an uncommon thing to see young pro athletes go down this road...but Baker seemed different.
Fortunately, the latest stories and reports indicate he's turned his life around and has been trying to help other athletes avoid the pitfall he sunk into. Despite wasting millions of dollars and the fame he acquired from the NBA, Baker appears to have found himself again - and that matters even more.
But this isn't a look at his personal life per se.
Many forget that Baker was among the NBA's elite while still being under the radar. He was chosen to play on the 2000 USA Olympic team and had his own shoe created by Michael Jordan's brand. The first release was the Jordan Jumpman Pro, then the 1999 version was Vindicate
However, in the midst of the success and recognition, things went terribly wrong.
It's fair to wonder what could have been for Baker and the Bucks had he not been dealt to the Seattle Supersonics in September of 1997. Many people, including former teammate and beloved guard Ray Allen, think the trade was the beginning of the end for Vin.
From the Bucks side of the ledger, was Baker the missing piece that could have propelled them to a championship in the late 90s and early 2000s?
Of course, after falling 1 game shy of the NBA Finals in the 2000-'01 season, Milwaukee signed Anthony Mason. That didn't work out and the Bucks have yet to reach the 2nd round since.
Answers are never that simple. Especially in Milwaukee where money is a constant concern, building a winning team is an enormous challenge. But...what could've been?
Before Baker was taken 8th overall in the '93 draft, he had been dubbed "The Best Kept Secret" by Sports Illustrated. It highlighted the fact he averaged 27.9 points and 10.3 points in relative obscurity during his junior and senior years at the University of Hartford.
Both in college and the NBA, Baker never was boisterous or flashy; instead, he just did his work day in and day out at a high level.
There were doubts, as the 6-foot-11 forward had a wide body and played against lesser opponents in the North Atlantic Conference. Still, Baker had exceptional feet for his size, consistently knocked down mid-range jumpers, and appeared to have the ideal work ethic and mentality to succeed in the NBA.
Milwaukee also felt like the perfect place for Baker to end up, as he was a simple guy who had grown up away from the spotlight. Playing in a large market like Chicago or New York might have overwhelmed him from the start.
Instead, he was strong in his rookie campaign, playing in all 82 games while averaging 13.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in 31 minutes a night. Not bad for a little-known forward from a hardly-recognized college.
He then stepped his game up in his 2nd season ('94-'95), earning his first of 4 straight All-Star berths. He led the NBA in minutes per game (41) while upping his points and rebounds to 17.7 and 10.3 respectively. Baker was already a top 10-15 rebounder and a viable scoring threat.
That was also the rookie year for Glenn Robinson, who added 21.9 points per game. Behind this dynamic duo, the Bucks added 14 wins to their total from the year before to finish 34-48. It looked as though Milwaukee was onto something.
The fans were excited, too, as the Bradley Center was averaging more than 16,300 per game that year - the highest mark in 5 seasons.
As often happens with a building team, the Bucks took a step back the next season and won just 25 games. Still, Robinson and Baker were doing their thing, so the pieces were still in place to keep moving forward.
In fact, Baker was a beast for the next 2 campaigns. He actually outscored Robinson in the '95-'96 season and averaged 21.0 points and 10.1 rebounds over those couple of years. The Bucks had a bona fide star at power forward...and yet, it felt like Baker was a bit overlooked.
In an article a few years ago, Ray Allen even said Baker was among the best forwards in the league. Allen even compared him to 14-time All-Star, 2-time MVP, and Hall of Famer, Karl Malone.
At the time, it sure didn't feel like fans and management saw Baker that way. Everyone was in love with Robinson's scoring, but Baker seemed to get 2nd-class citizen treatment.
Meanwhile, the Bucks made a draft-day trade to bring in the aforementioned Allen before the '96-'97 season. Now Milwaukee had a rookie sharp shooter to go with their 2 young, talented forwards.
Not surprisingly, the Bucks brought their win total back up to 33 that year as the city was again feeling good about the franchise's direction.
For the 3rd consecutive season, Baker was named an All-Star as he collected 45 double-doubles in putting up 21 points (16th in NBA) and 10.3 rebounds (9th in NBA) per night.
Much like he did in college, Baker continued to produce at a high level while others, including 2 guys on his own team, overshadowed him.
With Baker an established (though under-appreciated) star, Robinson coming into his own as a scorer, and Allen displaying a high ceiling, it appeared the Bucks had their base trio to lead them into a future of sustained success.
The only thing that could stand in their way could be money...and as was often the case with Herb Kohl, it did.
The front office knew Baker could opt out of his deal at the end of the following season, and he certainly would considering his status as a perennial All-Star and top 20 NBA player. The question was, how much would the Bucks be willing to give to keep building a winner?
In the offseason following the '95-'96 campaign, Baker's representation was looking for a contract of 7 years for around $80 million that would have kept him in Milwaukee through 2003.
According to NBA front office personnel at the time, $11.5 million per season for Baker would've been one heck of a deal for the Bucks (Kevin Garnett got $21 million). Kohl turned it down, believing they could keep Baker for a good chunk less, for a number of reasons (e.g. salary cap, loyalty). Later, Milwaukee offered Baker a 9-year, $60 million contract - an average annual salary of $6.67 million per year. Considering the opinions of the rest of the NBA, that sure would be a slap in the face to Baker. Two more years and $20 million less? As usual, he was undervalued by the Bucks.
Adding to the conflict, Baker had hired agent David Falk who just signed forwards Juwan Howard and Alonzo Mourning to deals averaging more than $16 million per year.
While Baker might not have quite been up to their caliber, he was much closer than the $10 million per season gap would indicate. Understandably, Baker turned down the Bucks' offer and prepared for his 5th season in Milwaukee, one that had plenty of optimism with the "Big 3" they had in place.
Then it happened: While shooting around on his own prior to the '97-'98 season, an assistant coach gave Baker the news. He was being traded to the Seattle Supersonics as part of a 3-team deal.
Sonics' star Shawn Kemp was going to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Baker was essentially replacing the popular forward out west.
The Bucks were getting back forward Tyrone Hill, guard Terrell Brandon and a 1st-round draft pick. On the surface it sounded like a great return for the Bucks, but they cut off their nose to spite their face.
Baker was going to be just 26 years old and was a guaranteed 20 points, 10 rebounds every night. Hill was about to be 29 and averaged about 9 points and 8 rebounds per game. Brandon, while a quality player, didn't look like a fit with the Bucks' roster and style.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee used that 1st-round pick to select Pat Garrity, who was then dealt along with Dirk Nowitzki to the Dallas Mavericks, with the Bucks receiving Robert "Tractor" Traylor in return.
Hill and Brandon would be traded during the next season, though in fairness they were part of deals that brought back Sam Cassell, Scott Williams and Tim Thomas. Still, it's likely those players could've been had in other exchanges...and Baker could've been part of the climb to the top.
Baker had another All-Star season in his 1st season in Seattle, but things quickly spiraled out of control from there. Again, many feel the scene and people he encountered in Seattle contributed to his problems. It only added to his depression as he never wanted to leave Milwaukee.
So let's assume Baker continued his All-Star ways with Milwaukee - a place he loved and thrived in - and they were still able to acquire Cassell to run the point. Do you think they could've taken Milwaukee to the Promised Land?
Without a doubt, that group makes at least 1 NBA Finals appearance and enjoys a longer string of success, something that never came to fruition. The Bucks really were sort of a 1-year wonder...and they didn't even reach the league's championship in the '00-'01 season.
It's hard to believe, but in each of the 2 years before their Eastern Conference Final run, the Bucks were eliminated in the 1st round.
Then after their 52-30 season that ended in a Game 7 loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks failed to even reach the playoffs the next season, when they finished 41-41.
The big free agent pickup for Milwaukee that year - tough forward Anthony Mason - ended up doing more harm than good. Mason simply didn't fit in with Milwaukee's style of play and had a negative impact on the team.
Imagine Baker in that power forward spot instead; he was perfect for that group. He could run the floor, was versatile on offense, and was a better rebounder. Baker also, by all accounts, was a terrific teammate and a team-first player. What more could you want from an All-Star averaging 20/10?
The next 2 seasons, Milwaukee was 42-40 and 41-41 respectively, getting bounced out of the postseason in the 1st round each year. That doesn't happen if Baker is there.
And I know some will stick to the notion that "they couldn't afford that contract." There definitely were ways to make it work. Let's look at some notable salaries from those seasons Baker could have been a part of in Milwaukee.
1998-99: Chris Gatling, Scott Williams and Armen Gilliam made $10.81 combined as backups.
1999-00: Danny Manning made $6.833 million to average 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds.
2000-01: Tim Thomas and Danny Manning combined to make $15.34 million.
2001-02: Anthony Mason, Jason Caffey and Greg Foster combined to make $11.11 million.
2002-03: Tim Thomas made $10.75 million to average 13 points, 5 rebounds. Toni Kukoc, Jason Caffey and Anthony Mason combined to make $17.67 million. Looking at some of those names and numbers - and factoring in the lack of production - I'd say it was a huge miscalculation not signing Baker to an extension. Especially if they would've taken him up on his original offer, the Bucks would've gotten terrific value for him.
Again - this is assuming Baker would have stayed on the straight and narrow by continuing his career in Milwaukee. I'm willing to bet he would have, and it would've been the best thing for both Baker and the Bucks.
Every franchise across all the different types of sports have deals they wish they never made, but for the Milwaukee Bucks, this has to rank near the top in the "shooting yourself in the foot" category.