Milwaukee Bucks Should Trade Greg Monroe
By Dan Larsen
With the Milwaukee Bucks in need of a major overhaul this summer, now is the time to trade Greg Monroe.
Things did not go well for the Milwaukee Bucks this season. Despite high expectations, the Bucks missed the playoffs and finished tied for the 8th worst record in the NBA.
Many things helped contribute to why the team did not succeed this season. Whether it was trading away their veteran leadership, constant injuries to their second unit, or just poor play, the Milwaukee Bucks did not do what they needed to this season.
Much of the blame for the Bucks struggles was pushed on to Greg Monroe.
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Ten months ago, Monroe signed a three year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks to be their starting center.
Many, myself included, believed Monroe would help the Bucks get better, even if his defensive limitations were going to be an issue. After all, if the Bucks could make their defense work with a slow veteran defender in Zaza Pachulia, why couldn’t they get their scheme to work with Monroe?
Monroe had the potential to be the final piece of the puzzle for this Bucks squad. With his dominant low-post ability, rebounding, and distribution skills, Monroe could have been the solution to everything the Bucks lacked the season prior.
Things, of course, played out much differently on the court. Instead of helping the Bucks take the next step towards contention, Monroe’s first season saw the Bucks regress to the lottery. Monroe posted solid stats, as he always had, however, it wasn’t enough to get the team victories or offset his defensive limitations.
Even though Monroe was far from the only one to blame for the Bucks failures this season, fans directed much of their frustration in his direction. When he was substituted in the final home game of the season, Monroe was booed quite loudly by many Bucks fans.
In a matter of 10 months, Monroe went from being seen as a potential game-changer to someone who was a big part of the reason why this season ended in the lottery. Now, as we head into the summer, the Bucks are faced with the difficult question of what to do with Monroe.
The first option the Milwaukee Bucks have is to keep Greg Monroe for next season and see if they can get things right with the squad. This option, however, presents many challenges.
Though Monroe may be a great fit in the right role, his best role on this Milwaukee Bucks squad would be as a sixth man, not as a starter. If the Bucks were to do this, it would likely present multiple problems.
From the Bucks perspective, they did not sign Greg Monroe for upwards of $16 million per year to be a 24 minute a night sixth man. They signed him to be their starter. Thus, paying Monroe a starter’s salary to be a key second unit guy seems undesirable from a financial perspective.
The financial picture becomes even more complicated when you consider that John Henson‘s four year $44 million extension starts next season AND Miles Plumlee, who was arguably the most effective center out of the three last season, is a restricted free agent.
Moving Greg Monroe into a sixth man role would also make little sense from Monroe’s perspective. In a league which is void of talented big men, Monroe could easily start on at least a couple of NBA teams next season. Thus, Monroe would likely be hesitant to accept such a role, even for a year, when he could start for a number of teams.
The Bucks could also try starting him at center again next season and hope their defense improves. Doing this, however, would require Jabari Parker to make major strides on defense, something that will likely take years, not months to improve. It would also require Monroe to work as a fourth option on offense, working as a screen-setter and rebounder rather than a focal point of the offense. This would not be the best use of Monroe’s talents, nor has he necessarily shown the ability to work effectively in this role.
The Bucks, if they kept him, would also have to be mindful that Monroe could walk at the end of next summer, something he’s likely to do given his fit and the state of the team. Thus, Monroe would present only a short term solution the Bucks, not a long term one.
All of these reasons pretty much leave the Bucks to choose the second option: Moving Greg Monroe this summer.
Attempting to change Monroe’s style or role, rather than moving him, would be a futile exercise. At the age of 26, what you see with Monroe is what you get. Expecting him to suddenly become an above average defender at this age is almost impossible, especially when you consider that his athletic ability prevents him from being a good defender, not necessarily basketball intelligence which can be learned.
The Bucks will also have the opportunity to get big men who are much better fits with their core three.
Miles Plumlee showed, when used as a starter, that the Bucks may be better suited to run with a lower use, athletic, pick-and-roll big rather than role with an old school low post-guy like Monroe. Even John Henson, who has his major limitations, is a better fit because he can protect the rim, block shots, and set somewhat effective screens.
If the Bucks were to move Henson as well, or let Plumlee leave, they could also add another center in the draft such as a Jakob Poetel, someone who will likely be available if the Milwaukee Bucks stay at the 10th pick. They go after someone like Bismack Biyombo in free agency, or acquire another center in a trade.
Given that the Bucks core three can field most of the offensive burden, the Bucks don’t really need an 18-20 point scorer playing at the center position.
They’d also be better suited, as we saw when Henson and Plumlee played, with a defensive big who can rebound and effectively rotate and protect the rim, rather than someone whose skills are primarily his ability to score in the low post.
A trade would also make sense from Monroe’s perspective. Getting a move now would allow him to go somewhere where he may be a better fit and can flash his talents. Given that he will likely be a free agent next summer, he could be on the receiving end of a bigger pay day if he ends up in the right situation and takes advantage of it.
The Bucks may not land much in any trade for Monroe. Given that he can walk at the end of next summer, something he’s likely to do with the cap going up even more, teams will be reluctant to give up long-term assets for any short term gain. However, this is also another reason to move Monroe now rather than keep him and potentially move him at the trade deadline.
It also appears that the league is moving away from the old school low-post bigs like Monroe, and instead favoring more athletic rim-protectors who can rotate and guard multiple positions. Thus, unless a team has above average players on the wing, it seems unlikely that Monroe can ever be a starting center on a championship contending team given his limitations.
Getting a lot in return, however, is not what matters. What matters is getting guys who are better fits on the team. By moving Monroe, the Bucks could free up significant cap space to retool their bench and potentially get a starting point. They could also land a player or two in return which could help improve the team overall.
Next: Milwaukee Bucks 2015-16 Season Review: Greg Monroe
Thus, given what transpired on the court this season, it would be best for all parties involved if the Bucks move Greg Monroe this summer.