Michael Redd, who is recovering from a second consecutive surgery for anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament tears in his left knee, said he is making good progress and hopes to return to the Bucks in February. And he said he would accept “any role” at that time as he tries to make a comeback at age 31. Redd is in the final year of his contract and making $18.3 million this season, the fifth-highest individual salary in the NBA. It’s unclear if he will ever play for the Bucks again, but he said he hopes to do so. “I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now,” Redd said. “I can really see myself playing again, feeling good again and getting explosive again. “You kind of develop that confidence over your time in therapy. It’s almost mental therapy as well.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

I’ve been told it was the Bucks, and not Erick Dampier, who decided to end talks regarding Dampier possibly signing with the team. The Bucks had a serious interest in signing the veteran center, who is a free agent, and Dampier had serious interests in joining the Bucks. However, the Bucks apparently weren’t willing to wait on Dampier, who had some undisclosed issues he wanted to sort out. — Racine Journal Times

It’s looking more and more likely the Milwaukee Bucks won’t have one of their key players for their NBA regular-season opener next week. Veteran small forward Corey Maggette, who is expected to be one of the Bucks’ primary scorers this season, acknowledged Tuesday that he isn’t close to being ready to play. Maggette, whom the Bucks acquired over the summer in a trade with the Golden State Warriors for Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric, is still recovering from surgery to repair torn peroneal tendons. The Bucks open their regular-season schedule Oct. 27 against the Hornets in New Orleans. “It’s getting better, but this is a tough injury to come back from,” Maggette said after Tuesday’s practice at the Cousins Center in Milwaukee. “Right now, it’s not even 80 percent (healed). “I’m still going at half speed; I can’t go full throttle yet.” Maggette made it clear he’s not going to play a game until he believes he’s completely healthy. — Racine Journal Times

The Bucks have been slowed by injuries early in the exhibition season but should be able to sort out a few issues while playing three road games in four nights beginning Thursday. Andrew Bogut could return at some point this weekend for his first game action since suffering injuries to his right wrist, hand and elbow against Phoenix on April 3 of last season. Forward Corey Maggette continued to progress from off-season ankle surgery and was able to play in the scrimmage, which was conducted with eight-minute quarters and a running clock. The Bucks were not able to have a regular practice Tuesday but will have one Wednesday. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Coach Scott Skiles played all three of his point guards – Brandon Jennings, Keyon Dooling and Earl Boykins – which showed that the Bucks have an assortment of size, skills and experience at the position. “We feel like it’s a position that’s pretty deep for us,” Skiles said. Jennings started and didn’t play particularly well in 18 minutes but is the least of the team’s concerns. Skiles will be hard-pressed to get all three of his point guards into the same game. The way the roster is constituted now, the Bucks will need to put one healthy player on the inactive roster for each game and Boykins might turn out to be that player on certain occasions. If first impressions mean anything, the Bucks look to have plenty of potential at the point. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Continuing to explore various options at the backup center position, the Bucks have signed 12-year veteran Brian Skinner which brings their training camp roster to 20 players. It’s Skinner’s third stint with the Bucks as he also played here in 2003-’04 and 2006-’07. “He came in and worked out with our guys (prior to training camp) and he was in very good shape so we wanted to give him another look,” said coach Scott Skiles. “We’re glad to have him back and we’ll take a good long look at him. “He’s got a big body and he’s always been able to defend in the low post. He’s been in a lot of situations and he’s played a long time. He’s played here before and he likes it here and he’s worth a look, for sure.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Bucks general manager John Hammond has been working diligently to plug that hole at backup center, focusing on signing veteran free-agent center Erick Dampier. A week ago, it appeared Hammond’s effort would go for naught. All signs pointed toward the 35-year-old Dampier signing with the Miami Heat. But things have drastically changed since then. Dampier has cooled on the Heat and appears to be having second thoughts about signing with Houston, which is well-stocked at the center position with Yao Ming and Brad Miller. The scuttlebutt now is that Dampier is expanding his options and is in the process of making two visits later this week: one to Milwaukee and another to Toronto. – Journal Times

Corey Maggette is not afraid to discuss the S word, as in starter. The Milwaukee Bucks’ new small forward said he’s here to fit in with a contending team, whether it’s as a starter or in a backup role to last year’s starter, Carlos Delfino. And the 30-year-old veteran tossed around another interesting word during the Bucks’ annual media day gathering Monday at the Cousins Center. Maggette said the C word – as in championship – is possible in places other than Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando and Boston. “I’m old-school,” Maggette said with a grin. “Seeing this talent here, you have to put us in the category, you have to. It’s not like, ‘We’re playing the Bucks; it’s going to be an easy win.’ “We have to have some swagger, we have to have some type of confidence, and that starts (Tuesday). The only players who are world champions are the Los Angeles Lakers, and everybody else is trying to get where they’re at. It still will be a dogfight with Miami and those other guys. When the time comes, we’ve just got to do it.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Bucks open training camp Tuesday with a pair of practice sessions, but Corey Maggette will not be able to jump into the fray due to off-season surgery on his left ankle. “I’m probably like a month away,” Maggette said. “I can do some spot shooting and I actually started running on the treadmill the other day. “This is the process. I’ll watch practice, learn the plays and the sets and get accustomed to my teammates.” The Bucks will carefully monitor Maggette’s progress and re-evaluate him in a week to 10 days. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

All the talk about those Eastern Conference teams means the Milwaukee Bucks still are going largely unnoticed. At least that’s the opinion of the Bucks point guard, who elevated his status with a productive rookie season and by starting all 89 games, including seven playoff games. “We did sneak up on a lot of people,” Brandon Jennings said of the Bucks’ 46-36 record last season. “A lot of people doubted us, and I think they are to this day. “I still don’t think we have respect from other people that we should. But that’s fine, though; that’s good for us.”

Bucks coach Scott Skiles also expressed optimism about Andrew Bogut’s recovery. “Saying it was a significant injury is an understatement,” Skiles said. “It was a terrible fall and everybody who saw it knew immediately he was out for a long time. We’re glad he’s doing real well and we’re hopeful there aren’t any setbacks and he’ll be ready to go.” Skiles said when Bogut is declared ready to play, the coach will not treat him differently than any other veteran in camp. “Once he is 100% green-lighted, then we’ll go full-bore,” Skiles said. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Little Earl” is just the man to complete the Milwaukee Bucks’ point guard trio. Veteran Earl Boykins, ready to begin his 12th NBA season, has reached agreement on a one-year deal to join the Bucks, according to agent Mark Termini. “Earl had interest from other situations,” Termini said Thursday. “But his familiarity with Bucks management and several players was important, and at this stage of his career he would like to take part in the playoffs. “Now it’s about picking places where he can have a role.” Boykins will have a fully guaranteed deal for the veteran’s minimum of $1.35 million, Termini said. The 34-year-old guard is expected to be in Milwaukee on Friday to take a physical. The 5-foot-5 Boykins played last season for the Washington Wizards and appeared in 67 games while averaging 6.6 points and 2.6 assists in 16.7 minutes per game. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Power forward Keith “Tiny” Gallon, whom the Milwaukee Bucks chose in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft, has yet to sign on the dotted line. Mark Cornstein, Gallon’s agent, told me, “We’re exploring all possibilities.” And one of them is playing in Europe. — Journal Times

Michael Redd will turn 31 on Aug. 24 and he’s still as much as six months away from daring a return. By then, it’ll be February, with the league’s trading deadline poised to snare the expiring-contract players. The Bucks had moved on a year ago, even before Redd completed his previous rehab and return, and put more distance between themselves and Redd with their summer transactions. — NBA.com

Keyon Dooling, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native, said he was looking forward to playing with Brandon Jennings, who started all 89 games for the Bucks last season while being named a first-team all-rookie selection. “Sometimes guys don’t want to be beat over the head with information and telling your life story,” Dooling said. “I’ve had some conversations with him last year through a mutual friend. “I think I have a unique ability to communicate with players, no matter what the situation is. Anything I know that I can help him with, I’ll give him. On the court, off the court, in life, whatever it is that he needs, I will always be there to give it to him and any one of my teammates.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On Tuesday the Bucks signed free-agent guard Keyon Dooling, a 10-year veteran, to a two-year contract to back up Brandon Jennings and fill Luke Ridnour’s spot on the roster. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The 29-year-old Drew Gooden said the Bucks’ sincere interest in him and the length of the contract were important. “That was the most important decision for me, what team was actually going to commit to me and see a future instead of renting me for a couple months of the year,” Gooden said. “That was really intriguing for me. “I wanted a home, it was a two-way street and I’m here.” The Bucks weren’t bothered by the fact Gooden had bounced around so much since being selected fourth overall in the 2002 draft by Memphis. “He’s never been overpaid, so he’s always been movable,” Skiles said. “He’s played in a lot of different systems now. There’s not a whole lot going to happen that he hasn’t seen.” – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel