The Milwaukee Bucks, including coach Jason Kidd and GM John Hammond, continued to emphatically deny a report that the Bucks were on the verge of giving Kidd overall control of basketball operations.

Hammond and Kidd were in Madison Tuesday at a news conference to announce that the team would conduct some training camp activities and play a pre-season game in Madison.

During the news conference Kidd and Hammond were asked about the report I wrote Sunday night on the expected move to give Kidd overall control of the basketball operations, based on confirmation from three people, one who works for the NBA and two who are affiliated with the Bucks.

NBA.com also picked up the story on Sunday night.

"We’re sitting here together and I can tell you this: We walked into this situation, this scenario, a year ago, and we knew each other professionally, but not personally to this level," Hammond said at the news conference. "We’ve had a chance to be together a year now, and I can tell you how much I enjoy working with Jason.

"I think we have a good camaraderie in how we work. We have a good relationship in how we do our jobs. Look, this is a special thing. There’s nothing like winning."

Kidd also denied the report.

"There are no problems in Milwaukee," Kidd said. "Hammond’s been in the league a little longer than I have, so this is another source for me to learn."

On Sunday, the Bucks immediately "unequivocally" denied the report and said that no such move is in the works, and now Kidd and Hammond have added their denials.

It is normal procedure for politicians and businesses – including sports teams – to circle the wagons when a public report appears in advance of official notice. I would expect nothing less from the Bucks, a professional and experienced organization.

People have asked me whether I stand by my report and the answer is "of course I do." I believe the essential fact, confirmed by three reliable sources – each in a position to know – is accurate, and that Kidd is going to become the top man in team's basketball operations office.

I do think that the timing of this is uncertain, but once the situation with Hammond is worked out – whether he gets another job with another team or is part of a restructured Bucks front office – the switch will be made.

And I do not dispute the Bucks' assertion that there are no serious rifts between Hammond and Kidd, despite the fact that Kidd is presumed to have been hired without Hammond being informed.  The two had a disagreement over who to make their first pick in the draft, but that has been described as more of a spirited discussion than an all-out battle.

Kidd has never denied a report that he wanted control of the basketball operations last season when he was coach of the Brooklyn Nets. That effort was not successful and it played a role in his move to Milwaukee.

Hammond is in the last year of his contract and Kidd in his second year. Hammond is paid nearly $2 million and Kidd $5 million.

The Bucks won 41 games in their first season under new ownership, and became just the third team in the history of the 16-team format (introduced in 1983-84) to reach the playoffs after posting the NBA's worst record. Kidd became the first coach ever to take two different teams to the playoffs in his first two seasons as an NBA coach.