Milwaukee Bucks: An ode to the departing Greg Monroe

With the news that he’s a part of the reported package that landed Eric Bledsoe, we take a look back at Greg Monroe‘s tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Well, it’s certainly a big day for all Milwaukee Bucks fans as we’re all celebrating the reported addition of guard Eric Bledsoe.

By acquiring Bledsoe, the Bucks will get a necessary reinforcement without parting with any of the young, developing talent that the Phoenix Suns were reportedly holding out for in trade talks for the 27-year-old.

While we’re still basking in the glow of this all-in type move, it’s time we take a look back at the tenure of the departing Greg Monroe.

Coming to Milwaukee in the summer of 2015, Monroe stood as the high profile free agent splash the Bucks landed following their surprising 41-41 season and a competitive series against the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs (thank you, Marlon Wayans).

By bringing in Monroe, it was thought the Bucks had added the missing piece they needed around their developing foundation, and that he could help them reach playoff success. Of course, that was something he notably proclaimed his desire for during his introductory press conference tpp.

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However, things didn’t necessarily go as planned in Monroe’s first season in the Cream City as the Bucks performed well below expectations, finishing the season 33-49.

Because of that, Monroe, along with former Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams, were viewed as the scapegoats for why the season went the way it did, at least on the players’ side of things.

Along with that, the disappointment of that season only led to Monroe’s name being entrenched among trade rumors, which would last well into the summer and loom over the rest of his time with the Bucks.

Under his new role as sixth man, Monroe’s standing among the team drastically turned around in his second season with the Bucks last year.

In 81 appearances last year, Monroe scored 18.8 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field, grabbed 10.5 rebounds and dished out 3.7 assists per 36 minutes. On top of that, Monroe upped his effort on the defensive end significantly as he became a disruptor at the point of attack in the team’s kinetic defensive scheme, and posted a career-high 2.6 steal percentage.

With Monroe fitting in swimmingly in his role off the bench, the Bucks made the playoffs despite not having both Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker for significant sections of the season.

And remember that talk of his hunger for making the playoffs? Monroe rose to the occasion in the team’s first round series versus the Toronto Raptors as he posted 13.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals in the six-game series.

With the Bucks correcting course, the team’s showing in the playoffs, as well as the shifting financial landscape which saw the salary cap fall well short of what had been projected, forced Monroe’s hand to opt in to his $17.8 million player option in the summer.

Unfortunately for Monroe, that decision worked against his personal favor now that he’s headed for the deserts of Arizona, and if things continue the way they have for the Suns, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him become a buyout candidate and land with a playoff contender before long.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions for the Eric Bledsoe trade

And with that, Greg Monroe’s time in Milwaukee comes to an end. Thanks for all the memories, Moose!

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Milwaukee Bucks: An ode to Greg Monroe

By Jordan Treske | Nov 7, 2017

With the news that he’s a part of the reported package that landed Eric Bledsoe, we take a look back at Greg Monroe‘s tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks.