Ride The Moose To Glory
Here’s the problem with the whole “let Monroe go” idea: aside from the guy who just started the 2017 All-Star Game, nobody on the Bucks is playing better than Greg Monroe right now.
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The Bucks have a net rating of plus 5.4 with Moose on the floor. The only players better than that are Jason Terry and Mirza Teletovic, both of whom have played more than half of their total minutes this season with Monroe on the floor as well.
Here’s how Monroe ranks among Bucks in total statistics thus far: third in points scored, second in rebounds, fifth in assists, second in steals, third in blocks, and first in and-one yells.
Monroe is good, and he makes the Bucks better. As I wrote earlier this season, Milwaukee would go into freefall without him anchoring the bench. Despite a poor first season and a lack of success thus far, Greg Monroe is a good player, and those aren’t exactly easy to obtain in the NBA.
There’s no guarantee anybody Milwaukee gets in free agency is as good as Monroe is, and the likelihood is that any potential addition would probably be worse. Teams aren’t letting their best players walk, and anybody at or above Monroe’s level of talent would be at a premium in the free agency market.
Cap space is an appetizing thought, but it’s a risky one at the same time. Trying to convince Monroe to stay might be the best option above all, but it’s not without it’s own risk. If Monroe wants to bounce, he can.
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That could explain in part why Milwaukee has sought to deal him at the last two NBA trade deadlines, according to all the Milwaukee Bucks trade rumors floating around. There’s no telling what happens with Moose, but it’s hard to imagine anything outside one of these four options happening.