Owner’s commitment to Bucks good for Hammond, Skiles

Herb Kohl is making changes.

The United States Senator said he has decided not to seek re-election.

But he remains committed to owning the Bucks, he told the Journal-Sentinel, and he is not looking for big changes there.

“One thing, our coach (Scott Skiles) is as competitive as they come and so is our general manager (John Hammond),” Kohl said. “We hope the year to come is going to be a lot better.”

The Bucks on the court took a step back this season, but that was largely due to injuries – no team lost more man games total or more games to key rotation players than the Bucks. Even when Andrew Bogut played, he was not right on offense because of his elbow.

But that is not the biggest long-term issue for Milwaukee.

Kohl also spoke briefly about the Bradley Center, saying he wanted to find “a way to build a modern complex.” “And in generations to come, the Bucks will continue to be a part of the landscape of Milwaukee,” Kohl said. Concerns about the aging Bradley Center are intertwined with the Bucks’ future in Milwaukee.

The new collective bargaining agreement could really benefit teams like Milwaukee in smaller markets, as could more revenue sharing. But at some point in the not to distant future, the stadium situation will need to be addressed.

But for now, the owner is committed to the team and Milwaukee. And that’s a good thing.