What Players Should Milwaukee Bucks Target In A Potential Greg Monroe Trade?
By Adam McGee
Amir Johnson or Jae Crowder or Avery Bradley
If Portland’s cap leaves a whole plethora of options for making a deal with them, the manner in which the Celtics have built a roster that is stacked with high quality role players and complementary pieces will have it’s own appeal for trade shoppers too.
It’s no secret that the Celtics are eager to start making a splash. Danny Ainge has been waiting to pull the trigger on a trade for a high profile established star or an appealing free agent for a long time.
Greg Monroe may not quite fit in as the top tier guy that they’re hoping to bring in, but he could be the piece of real talent that makes it easier for them to hook in the type of big fish that they’re ultimately after.
The Celtics have no end of draft picks they could offer if they wanted to pick up a player like Monroe without giving up any real players, and as I’ve previously discussed, offloading David Lee’s expiring with a couple of solid picks would certainly seem like an option that could be worth both Boston and Milwaukee’s while.
The Celtics have enough good young players that, if traded, could help another team to improve without necessarily debilitating Boston’s present and future too though.
Ainge likely wouldn’t be willing to give up multiple players of that ilk for a guy like Monroe (particularly with his current contract) but there are certainly deals worth Milwaukee’s while involving any one of them.
Amir Johnson would give the Bucks a strong interior presence on defense with enough shooting touch to also be able to stretch the floor out a little bit. In place of Monroe, at least as a type, that could be exactly the type of big man the Bucks are after.
At 28 years old, Johnson is a veteran presence also, without being too old to play a role with the team moving forward. His $12 million a year salary isn’t exactly bargain cheap, but expiring in a couple of years it certainly wouldn’t be bad if packaged with a nice pick.
Avery Bradley would be another player who could significantly bolster the shape of the Bucks backcourt. Bradley is one of the best on ball defenders in the entire NBA, while he also averages 36 percent on his shots from deep.
At only 25, Bradley is young enough to fit in with the “Own The Future” movement for years to come, and with two years remaining after this season on a contract that will see him earn $8.2 million in 2017 and $8.8 million in 2018, he’s a bargain that could certainly play a part in Milwaukee for years to come.
Then there’s Jae Crowder. With Giannis Antetokounmpo in place, chances are that Crowder wouldn’t get the same level of opportunities afforded to him with the Bucks as he has in Boston, but his contract means that shouldn’t even detract from going after him.
Crowder is one of the better three-and-D role players in the league and he’s tied in to a contract that will see him earn between $6.5-$8 million until 2020. That’s outstanding value for a player who at 25 years old could be a core bench piece through the team’s development and hopefully later into a time of contention.
With the combination of expirings that both Milwaukee and Boston have, there are endless possibilities for how these deals could play out. If the front office feel with conviction that Monroe isn’t going to work out for Milwaukee, Boston certainly could help them to make a deal.
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