Milwaukee Bucks: The future of Thon Maker

Areas to Improve: Defense

As good as Maker was at times on defense this past season, he still had times were he looked, well, like the rookie he was. Savvy offensive players could get him in the air with well-timed fakes, or take advantage of his lack of balance or footwork in certain instances:

Look closely enough at any young player and you will find holes. The well-worn phrase “welcome to the NBA” has stuck around for decades because rookies usually act like rookies on defense. Reps mean everything in this league, and Maker just doesn’t have enough yet.

Improvement on the court should come fast and hard for a raw ball of talent and potential like Maker. Almost as importantly, he should continue to improve as a leader and motivator for the team.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks dodged a bullet in 2016 Ben McLemore trade talks

I’ve become more and more certain that team culture is as integral to long term success as roster moves and talent. Thon Maker is just another addition to a Milwaukee Bucks team rich with culture-building talent and personalities.