Milwaukee Bucks 2017-18 Season Review: Thon Maker
By Adam McGee
Milwaukee Bucks center Thon Maker‘s second NBA season was filled with ups and downs, but finished on a promising note for his future.
After finishing the 2016-17 regular season impressively and producing positive moments in the playoffs, expectations and hopes were high for Thon Maker as he prepared for his second NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The young center appeared to have staked a meaningful claim for the Bucks’ long-term starting center spot to finish that year, and with that in mind, 2017-18 offered a chance for him to continue to learn and improve.
While Maker began the season as the Bucks’ starting center, he dropped out of the starting lineup by just the eighth game of the season and his year took a different turn from there. Between the rest of the regular season and playoffs, Maker started just seven more games.
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In hindsight, it’s easy to look at Maker as a learning and development project of sorts that Jason Kidd wasn’t eager to take on in a season when his job clearly hinged on team success. It’s easy also to understand why Joe Prunty’s mandate wasn’t necessarily to get the most out of Maker as an immediate priority either.
Still, it’s worth noting that while the Bucks may have not done all they should have to aid Maker’s growth this season, the player himself is also culpable for underwhelming performances.
In 74 regular season games, Maker averaged 4.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 0.6 assists and 0.5 steals, on shooting splits of .411/.298/.699 in 16.7 minutes per game.
So without further ado, let’s reflect on Thon Maker’s season, picking out the best and worst of his play, his game of the season, and what the future might hold for the former 10th overall pick.