Players’ values, like stocks, are always changing. At the quarter mark of the season, which Milwaukee Bucks player’s stock has changed most drastically?
Life in the NBA changes fast. In a matter of months, unanimous agreements become arguments, teams’ projections change, and player evaluations are totally overhauled.
At the start of the season, the consensus was that the Oklahoma City Thunder stole Paul George for an overpaid Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel was an absolute bargain at his current price for the Dallas Mavericks, and LeBron James would dominate the league again.
Okay, so some things do hold true.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
Over the past 25 games, Milwaukee Bucks’ players evaluations have changed as well. Stock has risen for those playing well, while players who haven’t lived up to expectations have seen their stock drop.
When considering a player’s stock everything is relative. Highly compensated players are judged more harshly than those on bargain bin deals. Older, more experienced players require more consistent production to improve their value than their rookie counterparts.
As a result, perception of value is always changing. Injuries cause a shake-up in rotations, players fall out of favor with the coaching staff, and sometimes guys just find their groove. The key is balancing new information, while not letting recency bias dominate an evaluation.
Nevertheless, 25 games into the season for Milwaukee, certain players have elevated themselves, while others are viewed less favorably than they once were.
Let’s take a look at which Bucks have seen their stock rise or fall the most since the start of the year.
John Henson
John Henson is one of the most improved players for not only the Milwaukee Bucks, but around the entire league. At the end of the 2016-17 season, Henson was a regular recipient of DNP-CDs and had fallen out of Milwaukee’s rotation almost entirely.
Now, Henson is the starting center, averaging more than 23 minutes per game, and the most reliable big man on the Bucks’ roster. Not only has Henson’s role increased, but his efficiency has as well. According to NBA.com, compared to last season, Henson has improved his rebounding, assist and effective field goal percentages.
While Henson’s improvement in individual statistics is certainly impressive, the most eye-opening change from last season, is Henson’s net rating.
An individual player’s net rating is the amount of points their team scores relative to their opponent per 100 possessions. Last season, Henson had an individual net rating of -1.8, meaning opponents outscored the Bucks by 1.8 points per 100 possessions while he was on the court. This year, Henson is posting a net rating of +8.5.
To put the difference in perspective, a net-rating of +8.5 would rank third among teams in the NBA this season, only behind the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, while -1.8 would rank 20th, behind the Charlotte Hornets.
A large part of Henson’s net-rating boost is due to his place in a starting lineup that is destroying opponents since the addition of Eric Bledsoe. Still, in limited minutes of action, the other four starters minus-Henson, have not fared as well without him on the court.
Henson’s improved play has paid dividends in the Bucks’ roster construction as well. Without Henson’s increased production. Greg Monroe and his expiring deal would have been much more critical to the Bucks’ success. If Monroe had held more value to the organization, perhaps they’d never have made the deal for Bledsoe.
An afterthought just a year ago, Henson has become an important piece of the Bucks present and future.
Thon Maker
One player’s gain is another’s loss. When John Henson gained the starting center position, he had to take it from someone. That someone was Thon Maker.
After starting for the last 36 games, including playoffs, for the Bucks in 2016-17, some (this writer included) predicted Maker would take the next step in his sophomore campaign. Unfortunately for Maker and the Bucks, that has not been the case.
In fact, Maker’s statistics have regressed in nearly every category from his rookie season. Per 36 minutes, Maker is averaging fewer points, rebounds, assists, and blocks.
Part of Maker’s drop in production can be attributed to his inability to make shots. Maker’s shooting percentages have cratered this season compared to last year, dropping nearly seven percentage points from the field and by more than 10 percent from three.
This is not an effect of teams playing closer attention to Maker than last season either. According to NBA.com, last season 21.6 percent of Maker’s shots were considered wide open, meaning that the closest defender was six feet or more away.
This season Maker has been wide open on 44.8 percent of his shots. More than twice as many open looks, only to make a smaller percentage.
Maker’s unique combination of shooting and rim protection gave him the potential to develop into a rare talent in this league. Without shooting Maker becomes very replaceable. The Bucks are hoping he will find his shooting, and perhaps the confidence to round out the rest of his game soon.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
At the beginning of the season Giannis Antetokounmpo was already an elite player in the NBA. The season prior, at the age of 22, Giannis was elected Second Team All-NBA and was widely considered by many, one of the best three players in the Eastern Conference.
Amazingly enough, since that time Giannis’ stock has only increased. After a scorching hot start, where Antetokounmpo was the legitimate early season favorite for MVP, Giannis has settled into being considered a top-5 to top-10 player, and easily the second best player in the East.
Giannis has made strides in parts of his game since last season, but the biggest change from last year is his increase in scoring and scoring efficiency.
This season, Giannis is averaging 28.6 points per 36, compared to 23.2 last season, and is doing so with a 61.4 percent true shooting percentage, up from 59.9 percent the season prior. Very rarely does a player, particularly one who was already the focal point of the offense, take on a larger burden on offense only to be more efficient in doing so.
With the offense leaning so heavy on Giannis, a defensive drop-off would seem acceptable. Giannis, however, has not let that happen. Through 25 games Giannis is averaging 1.6 blocks and 1.7 steals per game, and is considered a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Perhaps no team in the NBA leans on their superstar more than the Bucks lean on Giannis. Giannis does a bit of everything for the team placing either first or second in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Luckily for the Bucks, his stock doesn’t seem to be going down any time soon.
DeAndre Liggins
Coming into the season, it was unclear who would claim the Bucks’ 15th roster spot. The team brought in a multitude of veterans, looked at promoting last year’s two-way players into full-time positions, and ultimately decided to claim DeAndre Liggins off waivers.
At the time of the pickup, most expected Liggins to be a bit-part player who would likely only play if a rash of injuries were to occur. Early on in the season, DeAndre Liggins worked his way into the rotation, though.
As of late, injuries have caused an even bigger role for Liggins, but even prior to the injuries, he played consistent minutes. Liggins has played in 22 of the last 23 contests and 16 in-a-row, while averaging 16.1 minutes-per-game.
Offensively, Liggins doesn’t provide much. He is not proficient either scoring the basketball or playmaking for others. However, he is an adequate enough shooter to keep the defense honest, which is enough considering what he provides on the other end. More than anything, the biggest problem the Bucks are facing with Liggins’ offense is convincing him to take shots when he’s open.
The defensive end is where Liggins makes his impact. Liggins is a rangy defender, with lightning quick hands and feet, who wears opponents out with his relentlessness. This relentlessness has led to two steals and nearly a whole blocked shot per 36, impressive numbers for a player who plays a majority of his time at the shooting guard position.
Next: Milwaukee Bucks: 5 positives since the Eric Bledsoe trade
Liggins is not a superstar and he will likely never be a regular starter, but at the 15th roster spot on a minimum salary, the Bucks are getting way more than they ever should have expected to start the season.