The Milwaukee Bucks announced on Monday, July 31 that they had traded Jamaal Magloire to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for guard Steve Blake, forward Brian Skinner and center Ha Sueng-Jin.

Brian Skinner spoke with the Milwaukee media this afternoon, Monday, August 7, and answered their questions.

Are you a little surprised you’re back in Milwaukee?
A little bit. I’m a little bit surprised yes.

What was your reaction to the trade when you heard about it?
I love it. I have played here before. I like the city, love the fans and played with the majority of the guys that are here. Some have left, but a majority are still here and I am looking forward to it.

When you heard about all the changes and you saw what was going on in Portland with their draft picks and trades, were you thinking that it was possible you may land somewhere else?
I honestly did not know what to think. We had a young team. We had a lot of controversy with the players not wanting to be there. I really didn’t look at it as anything else. I didn’t know what direction they were going. I talked to Nate (McMillian) before and you know in this business he said you were going to be here. He told some other players they were going to be there and their gone so I didn’t expect anything else, less than I might be here, I might not. I don’t know it’s a toss up.

What do you see how this team has changed since you left? Obviously a different coach for you this time?
A different coach. I have played with Micheal (Redd), Joe Smith…I’ve played with those same guys. I have played with a lot of different teams, a lot of different players. You really can’t expect anything. It’s a new season. We’re going to add some different components, take away some and you just got to play with what you got.

What do you feel what will you be? Center…power forward…as you have been, you don’t see anything different in your role?
Well I can play both positions and I am comfortable playing both positions. I’ve played power forward. In Sacramento played center and some power forward, so I mean I feel comfortable.

In Sacramento was it more center?
More center. Some power forward, sort of interchanged a little bit. It was a free flowing offensive so 4 and 5 were pretty much interchangeable.

League wide what do you think the perception of the Bucks is? What have you been saying about them?
Same thing as everybody else in the league. Everybody is trying to make moves right now. You got a lot of players that are going to be moved, a lot of franchise players, a lot of no-name players. Right now everybody is trying to get their teams better and trying to do whatever it takes.

You feel like you have gone to a better situation here? (Milwaukee) has gone to the playoffs last year…does this looks like a team on the rise right now?
Yeah I think just being traded to Portland was the first time I didn’t make the playoffs in the last 5 years. So knowing they did that this year only looking to get better next year. The perception of the Bucks…anyone at the beginning of the season you don’t know what to expect. You get toward the middle of the season and you sort of have an idea where your going to be placed at and your starting to draw for positions for the playoffs.

What did you think last year when you played against (Andrew) Bogut and (Charlie) Villanueva?
I don’t even know if I even played against them? Who knows? (laughs) Obviously I have seen them play and they are very talented. Young, but very talented and that’s what this league is…made of is talent and potential talent and some of those talents develop into greatness and others pretty much get sustained and some don’t last in this league more than 3 or 4 years. So I have seen them play and in terms of having them as teammates I am looking forward to it. Obviously they are going to make me better and hopefully I will make them better.

Talk a little bit about the trade involving the (Chris) Webber deal and everything…that is part of the league, but was it strange for you how everything worked out?
It was a blessing. I think it was a blessing in a sense there was a lot of things in Philadelphia having to deal with. Going to Sacramento gave me new life. Wouldn’t say it was divine intervention but Brad Miller getting hurt and knowing that I can still play and showing people I can still play and being able to do that. Some things work. This league is built on politics and this league is built on you got to take the bull by the horn. You got to take the initiative and your not promised next week, your not promised next game and just as easy as you got that position you could just as easily lose it.

What about your time in Portland? I hear you really did well when you were out there…what did you think, I know it was a short time out their like 27 games…?
Yeah, I need about 6 months to consider it a normal stay. I was there for about 3 months. It just rained a lot…what can I say? (laughs) It was good. I love playing with Nate, we just had a lot of controversy. We had a lot of things that were going on. It was a young team. You had a lot of expressed comments of players not wanting to be there which makes it hard for you who wants to win when you have players that really just don’t care. It’s contagious. It carried like wildfire throughout the whole team. Even the players that were really dedicated and really wanted to be there it just made it seem like it was for not. They are building right now and they are rebuilding and made a lot of transitions. They gave me an opportunity to play and I am thankful for that but, as I have always said its time to move on.

Do you see a different situation here where you have a little bit more stable leadership with Michael (Redd) and some of the other guys?
I am comfortable here. I have always been comfortable here. I have been comfortable here as well as I have been comfortable in Philadelphia. I don’t really have any expectations. Expectations tend to lead to failure and disappointments. So I am just going to go in do what my job is, do what I can do and help this ball club win games. I am not looking for anything else. I am not looking to score 20 points a game but I am going to give them what they need.

Do you think you can help a guy like Charlie (Villanueva) who’s in his second year playing power forward in the league?
I think so. I was trying to look at the age and I was feeling old. Year nine (in the NBA) and I look back when I was just a rookie but I have learned a lot. I have played with a lot of great players. I’ve played with a lot of that have taught me a lot of things and I am hoping to be able teach other players different things, maybe not verbally but by just going out being an example. Like I said we have all the potential in the world and they made the playoffs last year and looking to get a little bit further this year.