Milwaukee Bucks: Best and Worst (March 23 – April 1)
By Adam Coffman
Worst: Decisions To Be Made
Full disclosure: it was tough to think of a legitimate “worst” of the last few weeks. The Bucks have played so well save for a misstep here and there that it’s difficult to find a consistent yet fixable gripe.
Of course, if this season’s history is any guide, this sentiment would mean we’re due at any point for a hard regression, but we’ll ignore that for now.
Either way, the sudden success leaves the Bucks’ front office with some decisions to make this summer that, if they go right, could position them for a run at contention next year. If they go wrong though, the Bucks’ could cap their organizational ceiling at a level they certainly want to avoid.
Both Tony Snell and Greg Monroe have been surprise revelations this year, and the Bucks should have at least a mild desire for both to return in free agency.
Problem is, plenty of other teams will have the same goal, particularly in Snell’s case. The Minnesota Timberwolves, among others, have been linked to Snell, as he occupies a sought-after three-and-D role.
Monroe has a player option at $17 million for next season. It’s unclear right now whether or not he has any interest in returning to the Bucks, and if so, at what price.
Both players would come with risk — Snell’s propensity to disappear becomes much less palatable when you’re paying him big-time money, and we’ve already seen Monroe get thrown to the wayside by the Bucks’ schemes.
To complicate matters, Jabari Parker is also eligible for a contract extension this summer, similar to the process Giannis went through in 2016. His situation is a risky one for John Hammond and company — should they lock up a potential franchise player and risk the inherent injury worries?
There will undoubtedly be tons of discussion as to the right course of action on each one of these decisions, but it can’t hurt to look forward to what will be a crucial offseason.
Next: Bucks Reportedly Signing Gary Payton II
That’s it for this time, check back soon for our last regular season edition of the Bucks’ Best and Worst!