John Hammond slid into a chair behind the Milwaukee Bucks backdrop Friday afternoon in a meeting room at the Cousins Center in St. Francis, and quipped he is more comfortable standing while addressing a crowd.

Hammond is affable. He’ll say hello and move over to shake your hand if he sees you at the Bucks training facility, the BMO Harris Bradley Center or about town.

He’s also honest.

Sitting behind a lone microphone, Hammond was typically blunt when talking about the acquisition of guard J.J. Redick and what it meant for the remainder of the 2012-13 season.

"This comes down to us trying to win and us trying to remain competitive," he said. "We’re hoping that we can get an uptick from this. We haven’t been playing quite as well lately and we’re hoping we can solidify this eighth spot. We’d like to move up, try to get to seven. Who knows, try to get to six, whatever we can do. This, for us, was acquiring a piece like J.J. in particular, to help us win games now."

One of the reasons Redick was brought in was the presence of Monta Ellis, who the Bucks believe can slide effortlessly from point guard to shooting guard when paired with Jennings or Redick.

"I think that most teams would say that if possible, you would like to have a three guard rotation. It’s not always easy to do. You have to have players that can fit that profile. We have that," Hammond said. "Monta can play both positions. That’s really the key to being able to have what we call a true three-guard rotation. I don’t know where it would fit in the realm of the NBA in its entirety, but I would put our three guards up with most of the league and say we can compete, if not hold our own or a win a game against a three guard rotation like that."

Hammond was then asked how Redick’s acquisition would affect the team’s chemistry. As always, he didn't mince words.

"It’s our player’s responsibility to help him fit and it’s his responsibility to fit," he said. "I think if guys are willing to accept the process there’s no reason it can’t happen. You know, it really comes down to this – do guys want to win? And if you want to win, I think people will make sacrifices. And the sacrifice could be a matter of a few minutes a game."

In the 10 games prior to the trade, the Bucks went 2-8 and backup guard Beno Udrih was averaging about 16 minutes per game, a full two minutes below his season average. Ellis was averaging 41 minutes per game, four over his average. Jennings was at 39 minutes, two over his average.

"Beno hadn’t been playing quite to his level as needed I think, and what he would expect to play," Hammond said. "So we had Brandon and Monta on the floor way too many minutes, there’s no question. I think we were wearing those guys down and it made it more difficult for them so we need someone there, we need someone there who can help us win games. I think a guy like J.J. really compliments both of them and they compliment him as well."

Hammond then recalled a conversation he had with Joe Dumars when the pair were together in Detroit’s front office. In talking about teamwork and winning, Dumars said he and Isiah Thomas – two future Hall of Famers – knew when Vinnie Johnson came off the bench and got hot, one of them was going to be sitting for a bit.

They didn’t necessarily like it, but understood in those minutes Johnson was giving them the best chance to win.

"I’m not comparing that to this situation, only in the fact of the three guards, and hopefully people have the same sort of attitude," Hammond said.

Head coach Jim Boylan echoed the concern over Jennings and Ellis’ workload, but did say he was going to find a way to put all three on the court together.

A few minutes later, Jennings wasn’t quite sure why anyone would be concerned about the minutes he and Ellis have been playing.

"Well, I mean I’m 23 years old so I don’t mind playing a lot of minutes at all," he said. "So I never complained about playing time, I never complained about being tired or anything like that. I just keep it going. Like I said, I’m 23 years old. Monta, he’s played 40 minutes at Golden State. It’s nothing to us."

Jennings wondered about the rotation was going to work, especially with the presence of Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and the need for him to be on the court late in close games to defend the other team’s best perimeter player.

He was then asked then about the possibility of his combination with Redick and Ellis forming one of the better three guard rotations in the league.

"The best three guard rotation? Uh, yeah, I guess," Jennings said. "At the end of the day it’s just going to be interesting. The players, we don’t make the decisions, the front office does so like I said, we’re just going to see what happens."

He also clarified the argument that Redick will fit in seamlessly on the court because he’s a player who doesn’t "need" the ball in his hands to create points.

"Well, I mean we’re going to need him. So all that ‘he doesn’t need the ball’ – he’s going to need the ball," Jennings said with a laugh. "We’re going to need him to shoot it. And to dribble. To make things happen. This year he’s been really good taking the ball off the dribble and making shots and he’s really improved with that. He’s not really a catch-and-shoot player anymore so he’s going to need the ball."

In Redick’s first game with the team on Saturday, a loss to Atlanta that dropped the Bucks to 26-28 overall, the trio played the final 6 minutes, 39 seconds of the first half together. Redick made two free throws at the 3:17 mark and made his only other shot, a jumper off a Jennings’ assist with 1:45 left.

Ellis attempted just two shots, layups off a Jennings assist and steal. Jennings took four shots, making two.

In the second half they played together for two minutes of the third quarter, missing one shot. They were also on the floor for the final four minutes of the game. Redick didn’t attempt a shot while Jennings missed one and Ellis went 1 for 3, including a layup that gave the Bucks a 102-101 lead with 10 seconds left and a miss at the buzzer.

For the game, Ellis played 43 minutes, Redick 35 and Jennings 30.

"It seems like things are going to change now that we’ve got the three man rotation," Jennings told reporters in the locker room. "I guess guys are going to have to, with the time that they get, utilize it with a three man rotation. Like I told you before, I’m 23 years old, so I can play 40 minutes a night and be fine. So if it’s going to be like this then I guess we just gotta do it."

The Bucks play tonight in Dallas and Wednesday in Houston before returning home on Saturday to face the Toronto Raptors, the team currently chasing the Bucks for the eighth playoff spot. The team had practice Sunday and Monday, and will likely practice Friday. It’s an intense week, but one that gives Boylan, Redick and the Bucks time to figure out what works.

"Only time will tell if we are really going to improve, so we just have to basically wait and see," Jennings said when Redick arrived. "We do have another shooter, so we’ll just see what can happen.

"It’s going to be great though. I think down the stretch I think he’s going to help, make big shots for us when we need him and when we have trouble scoring. That’s been our trouble down the stretch."