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

The latest Milwaukee Bucks season brought us a slew of surprises, disappointments, and everything in between. What were the highs and lows of the entire year?

The Milwaukee Bucks season ended with a Game 6 loss in their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors. A few weeks after that result, the focus in the Bucks biosphere has shifted to evaluating what occurred in 2016-17 and what it all means going forward.

If told during the regular season that the Bucks would find themselves in the spot mentioned above, fans would have a whole host of reactions depending on where the team was at that point.

Before the season, that eventuality would seem like a nice step up for an improving team looking to return to the postseason. As Milwaukee sat 22-30 and without Jabari Parker, even sniffing the playoffs would have seemed ludicrous.

Milwaukee Bucks

Finally, having beat down the Raptors at home to take a 2-1 series lead, losing in six games would have been a disappointing eventuality, although still a plausible one.

It was an up-and-down season to be sure, which is something that could be said for virtually all teams but just feels most applicable to the Bucks.

Throughout the season, I wrote a regular Best and Worst column that went over everything the team had gone through and accomplished in the past week or so.

These issues were mostly shorter-term details that didn’t have that much influence on the long-term arc of the franchise, although with a few exceptions.

Now, with the season complete, it’s time to look back and evaluate what wound up being the highs and lows of greatest magnitude for the Bucks in 2016-17.

It should go without saying that the issues to follow will have a major impact on on the way we look back on this season and how the organization proceeds forward.

Best: Giannis With A Capital G

Having burst onto the national NBA scene with his post-All-Star break performance in 2016 and signing a $100 million extension just before the season’s start, all eyes were on Giannis Antetokounmpo coming into this season.

Bucks fans debated: could he make it onto the Eastern Conference’s All-Star roster? Was his late-season success a fluke driven by empty numbers? Could he take yet another leap forward into stardom?

For the record, the answers to the above questions are: yes, yes, and most definitely yes.

Giannis’ line for this season – 22.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game on 52 percent shooting from the field is almost unprecedented.

That contract is now more than justified, if it was ever in question. Giannis’ play has made him a household name among not just the NBA community, but with casual fans who may just follow the sport from afar.

What’s more interesting about this season from Giannis is that he really isn’t functioning as the team’s point guard, even though that was the switch that brought him success and notoriety last year.

He carries a large amount of offensive burden to be sure, but it is often the Bucks’ nominal point guard that initiates halfcourt action, which explains why his assist numbers are down from last season post-All-Star Break.

For the first time in decades, the Bucks have a top-10 player in the league, the type of player a franchise can be built around, the centerpiece on a championship team one day.

Giannis led Milwaukee in all five major statistical categories and is a force on both ends of the floor. Never before has the NBA seen a player capable of guarding point guards all the way through centers while having the offensive ability to generate mismatches at will.

What’s most impressive about Giannis’ season is that he improved on last season in virtually every statistical category while not really fixing his major weaknesses. His three-point percentage was just 27 percent this season, compared to 25 percent in 2015-16, and he still has a tendency to foul unnecessarily away from the basket.

Still, his transition to playing power forward turned him into a defensive menace, and his shooting is as efficient as ever on the whole, mainly due to the excellent looks he creates..

There’s uncertainty regarding some of the Bucks pieces, but Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the team’s one incredible constant.

Best: The Rooks

The Bucks made a huge splash with their first-round draft pick last summer, selecting Thon Maker, a 19-year-old who had just recently been granted draft eligibility, with the tenth overall selection.

Initially, the pick angered many who saw Maker as a risky long-term project. These sentiments were easy to understand – Thon had never played at a level above high school ball, and he was incredibly raw from an NBA perspective.

Here’s what I projected for him back in July:

"It’s probably best to assume that Maker may spend at least a little amount of time in the D-League… fans should expect him to take on a role similar to what Rashad Vaughn filled last year, appearing mostly in garbage time and in the absence of those who are injured."

For the first part of the season, this was mostly true. Maker’s minutes increased every month of the season, going from playing in garbage time in November and December to spot starts and extended run in January to starting games and playing major minutes in the playoffs.

It might be tough to believe if you didn’t watch the games, but Maker was actually a net-positive contributor against the Raptors, protecting the rim on defense and running the floor with a vigor on the other end.

His three-point shooting is his most attractive offensive skill thus far – although he fell off a bit after the All-Star Break, Maker finished the season shooting over 37 percent from behind the arc. His rim protection was also underrated, as opponents shot five percent lower than average around the hoop against him.

Thon is much farther down his developmental timeline than anyone would have expected or even hoped for, which only furthers the parallels between him and Giannis. It goes without saying this should make Bucks fans extremely excited.

Related Story: The growing importance of Thon Maker

Malcolm Brogdon was a different story, taking on a larger role almost immediately at the start of the season.  As a 24-year-old rookie, his value never lay in upside, but instead in the immediate impact he could bring to the next level.

His game is polished for a rookie, almost confusingly so, and he has an arsenal of veteran tricks that make up for his deficiencies. You’ll often see him shrewdly take advantage of his defender’s bad positioning and slice into the lane for a backdoor cut.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Brogdon’s season was the fact that this was his first year playing point guard full-time, as he appeared almost exclusively at the two while at the University of Virginia.

Maybe because of this experience, he’s excelled both off-ball and on, shooting over 40 percent on three-pointers, 90 percent of which were assisted.

He took over the starting job at point midway through the season and the Bucks never looked back. For the foreseeable future, unless the team can find a starting caliber point in free agency, it looks like he’ll be manning the point.

Both of the Bucks rookies were instrumental down the home stretch of the season, as Brogdon played the point masterfully and Thon’s efforts were enough to make John Henson more or less irrelevant.

These two could not be more opposite – one is a foreign born barely-20-year-old with a game as raw as anyone’s and a ceiling equally as unknown, and the other is a 24-year-old Master’s degree holder who is older than the franchise’s centerpiece and possesses the repertoire of a ten-year vet.

An odd couple to be sure, but the Bucks absolutely need both of them for their future.

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.

Best: Snelly Cat

Given the revelation that Tony Snell has been for the Bucks this season, it’s hard to fathom that they wouldn’t have had him if it wasn’t for Khris Middleton‘s hamstring injury.

Acquired just a few days before the season’s start in exchange for Michael Carter-Williams, Snell was essentially a stop-gap measure, meant to fill in for Middleton as a close approximation of his talents for a good bit of the season

Nobody, likely not even John Hammond, saw his new wing asset becoming an essential part of the team to where it’s more than probable the Bucks will pony up the cash to retain him for next year.

Related Story: What does the future hold for Tony Snell?

On the Bulls, Snell had gained a reputation as somewhat of a drifter, proving incapable of taking on any responsibility on offense and performing sporadically on both ends. He was thrown straight into the fire in Milwaukee, replacing an injured fan favorite and team leader in the starting lineup just days after being dealt.

After an initial slow start, Snell picked up his pace in a major way towards the latter half of the season, shooting 42 percent on catch-and-shoot three-pointers. Going from 2.4 attempts per game from deep in his last season with the Bulls to 4.4 with Milwaukee, it’s clear that he focused on his strengths this season.

It’s hard to quantify Snell’s defensive impact – he’s not one to rack up steals or blocks, and his value comes mostly from on-ball defense. However, you can see his footprint in the performances of opponents, such as Russell Westbrook‘s 9-for-28 shooting night in January.

His play at the two-guard allowed the Bucks to deploy their best and most exciting lineup this year, consisting of Brogdon, Snell, Middleton, Giannis, and Maker.

Snell has been a pleasant surprise this year, but you can’t help but wonder how that perception will change if or when he’s given a large contract. With the expectations that come with such a deal, those off nights where he tends to fade into the background might not be as tolerable.

Regardless, Tony Snell was a huge help for the Bucks this season, both as an emergency tarter and later as a proven contributor and trusted talent.

Worst: Jabari’s Injury

What could have been an underrated subplot to the Bucks’ season of growth and development was ruined when Jabari Parker went down with a second ACL tear in February.

This was the second such injury in the last 29 months, coming after Parker had made great strides in posting a 20.1 point, 6.2 rebound, 2.8 assists per game stat line on 37 percent three-point shooting.

The list of players who have recovered from such a situation is short, with Michael Redd and Danny Manning being the only examples of those who have suffered two ACL tears to the same knee while in the league.

Given how athletically-based Jabari’s game is, losing any bit of it would curtail him output somewhat significantly. There will also be mental hurdles to get over, as tests out his knee with the memory of it buckling under him twice.

Parker’s piece in the Player’s Tribune paints the picture of a grounded individual who knows the challenges he’ll face but won’t back down. After all, he came back better and arguably more explosive from his first surgery, which shows a dedication and work ethic that can overcome such an ailment.

The Bucks success in the last half of the season should raise spirits; the team showed they’re capable of adapting to Jabari taking on a new role once he returns.

With the winning stretch Milwaukee enjoyed when going with a smaller lineup, it ill be interesting to see how they reintegrate Parker upon his return, which could reportedly take place around the All-Star break next season.

We’ll get a sense of how the team thinks Jabari is progressing this summer, as he will be eligible for the same rookie extension that Giannis got last year. This could be an opportunity for Milwaukee to find great value or take a risk, depending on the outcome of the negotiations.

The initial shock has now more than worn off, but losing Jabari to a familiar enemy was unquestionably the worst part of the Bucks’ season.

Worst: Free Agent Signees

The Bucks went into last offseason with a plan – elevate Antetokounmpo’s game by surrounding him with shooters and defenders that could alleviate the spacing woes that crippled their 2015-16 effort.

Their two major free agent signings followed this path, with Matthew Dellavedova looking every bit the part of the off-ball point guard three-and-D weapon that would fit well with Giannis, and Mirza Teletovic being one of the league’s best stretch bigs.

Of course, this woldnt be a “Worst” if both these signings has panned out as planned. Differing factors have made Delly and Telly look less than ideal for the team this year.

Related Story: The Perils of Fit and the Pitfalls of Misuse

Matthew Dellavedova’s value rises and falls based on how his three-point shot is falling. He doesn’t provide much else of merit on the offensive end, and his defense is a known constant rather than a domineering force.

Although his shooting hit a skid midway through the year, Delly did finish the year at 36.7 percent from behind the three-point line. The problem is, he didn’t show much else beyond that, shooting just 40.7 percent from two-point range and posting a less-than stellar defensive rating of 107.

To be fair, expecting him to do more ignores his previous body of work with the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which he was not counted on for any consistent skill save for hitting open shots.

Delly isn’t and won’t be the starting point guard on any Bucks team going forward, at least a Bucks team with hopes of contention. Maybe with that standard set in place, his play will become more palatable as he assumes a closer approximation of his Cleveland form.

Teletovic has also struggled with his most marketable skill, shooting just 34 percent from deep and 37 percent overall.  At negative-3.4, Telly had one of the worst box plus-minuses on the team and offers virtually nothing more than a warm body on the defensive end.

Teletovic is, in theory, a perfect partner for Giannis what with his shooting, particularly from above the break in transition. Even though the shots haven’t been falling with his expected regularity, we still see this effect take place.

With both Giannis and Mirza on the court together, the Bucks have a 6.8 net rating, according to NBA Stats. However, with Giannis and no Telly, that number went down to a slightly positive 0.8.

Perhaps just the threat of the marksman on the perimeter opens up more room for Giannis to drive than someone like Michael Beasley does. Either way, this is a pairing you’d like to see Jason Kidd explore more than he has.

On the whole though, it’s hard to argue that this was anything but a disappointing year for Teletovic, and at 31 years old, you can’t imagine him improving over the rest of his three-year, $30 million contract.

Both of the Bucks’ featured free agent signees weren’t the perfect fit many predicted they’d be. This has a lot to do with how they were used, but some blame should be afforded them as well.

Worst: Shaddy Vaughn

As then the second-youngest player in the league, Rashad Vaughn had an extremely forgettable rookie season, posting a negative-6.1 box plus-minus and shooting just 30 percent from the field in 14.3 minutes per game.

Still, hope remained in the fact that Vaughn was just 19 years old. As the second-youngest player in the league, there was ample room to grow, although the 2016-17 season would prove crucial in terms of his longer-term future with the Bucks.

A 22-point performance in the Bucks’ first win of the year raised eyebrows, but the rest of the season did not give us much more to feel optimistic about. In fact, that breakout game would account for over 15 percent of his 142 total points on the season.

Although he did raise his field goal percentage from an embarrassing 30.5 percent to a slightly better but still abysmal 37 percent, nothing else jumps off the stat sheet or game tape as showing marked improvement.

As Malcolm Brogdon and Tony Snell impressed in their roles, Vaughn showed himself to be largely the same player as last season, which led to his minutes falling to under half of last year’s total.

Last season, hope could be found in uncertainty. We hadn’t seen that much of Vaughn, therefore judging him on a small sample size would be unfair. After two years in the league, it’s becoming clear that this sample actually does reflect on what caliber player we’re dealing with.

There’s just not that much about Vaughn that would label him an NBA-level talent. His three-point shot is streaky, or at least we haven’t seen nearly enough of it, he can’t really create his own looks outside of contested midrange fallaways, and his on-court IQ leaves a lot to be desired.

That’s a lot of boxes that still havent been checked in order to assure a future in the league.

The Bucks exercised their team option on Vaughn for next season last October, and they could retain him the following year in the same way. It’s fair to assume that next season will be his last chance to prove himself to Milwaukee, as it just won’t be worth keeping a non-asset around going forward.

Wrapping Up

Summing up the Bucks’ season in parts like this, you can see that it was a largely positive year, especially considering where expectations were at many points during the season. Still though, there were areas that could have been better, as we went through.

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The “Own The Future” era has run its course, to be replaed by the “Fear the Deer” slogan that signifies an organizational shift toward contention.

The plan is set, tbe pieces are in place, and the only thing missing is the individual improvement of many younger pieces.

More will be expected of the Bucks next year, in terms of both individual performance and team success.

It’s likely that many of the issues mentioned here will be important talking points for next season, although they will be evaluated on a new standard.

How much farther does Giannis’ ceiling go? How will Jabari look in his return?

Will Thon take the next step? Can the team avoid the type of post-playoff setback they fell victim to in 2015-16?

Next: John Hammond Season Review

It was a season of highs and lows to be sure, and what the Bucks do over the next few months will set us up for a while new set of Bests and Worsts next year.