Milwaukee Bucks: Best and Worst of the 2016-17 Season

Best: The Moose’s Revival

Maybe the worst element of the Bucks’ 2015-2016 season was the aftermath of the Greg Monroe signing. Expecting to be an offensive centerpiece on the low block, Monroe served only to clog up halfcourt spacing and pair with Jabari Parker to create one of the league’s worst defensive frontcourts.

Bucks General Manager John Hammond had reportedly been shopping him at bargain-bin price on the trade block for the better part of a year coming into this season with no avail.

However, a key change occurred when Monroe went to the bench to start the year, never publicly complaining about his status even though he was being paid like a starter and had likely been promised a larger role when signing with Milwaukee.

He came off the bench at times last season, but that took place more as a desperation move with the team in free-fall. With an offseason to prepare a gameplan and rotation accordingly, attitudes among both parties seemed to change.

At a glance, Moose averaged 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on 53 percent shooting. That doesn’t seem all that impressive; in fact, that’s Monroe’s lowest rebounding output of his career, and his fewest points scored since his rookie year.

Of course, these numbers took place over the course of 22.5 minutes per game, down nearly seven per game from last season. Extrapolate his numbers over a larger sample size, and his improvement becomes more clear.

One major problem with the Bucks offense in 2015-16 occurred when Giannis and Monroe would share the floor. Both players work best with the ball in their hands and don’t offer nearly as much off of it.

Thus, staggering them – Giannis and Monroe played 1140 minutes together in 2016-17, compared with 1872 the season prior – proved to be a better idea for maximizing the Bucks’ potential on both ends.

His efficiency and scoring acumen on the low block was never challenged as an asset to the team, and he was his usual self when he received the ball. According to Synergy, Moose scored a decent .89 points per possession on post-up opportunities, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

As you may be able to tell from his near-career-high in assist rate, Monroe also became more of a willing passer. Many times, he would be the only viable creator on the floor playing with the bench units, and opposing defenses would be increasingly apt to send help towards him as a result.

Factoring in passes, Synergy has Monroe generating nearly a point (.997) per possession on post-ups. When the defense double-teams him, that number rises to 1.4 points per possession, a mark that ranks in the league’s 87th percentile.

However, the more noticeable change in Monroe’s game was on the other end of the floor. Defensively, he left a lot to be desired last year, proving ineffective at protecting the rim or moving his feet on switches.

Moose posted a 106.4 defensive rating this year, which left him in the middle of the pack on the Bucks. He also averaged a career high steal rate, using his hands to deter passes out of traps and mucking up the lane for slashers.

No longer was his defense a liability. At worst, his presence was negligible, and at best, he was an asset and contributor on the point-preventing end thanks to his hustle and effort.

Over the course of a few months, the discussion surrounding Monroe went from whether or not trading him for a single second-round pick would be sound judgement to whether or not he would pick up his player option at over $17 million for next year.

He may not be back with the Bucks in 2017-18, but Greg Monroe did much to ensure that his time in a Milwaukee uniform will be remembered in a more favorable light.