Milwaukee Bucks: Can Tony Snell regain his defensive impact next season?
While the focus for him has been regaining his shooting confidence on the offensive end, the importance Tony Snell serves defensively with the Milwaukee Bucks looms large as well.
Entering what will be his third season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Tony Snell is looking to refresh his standing within the team’s roster.
Whether it was the cycling in and out of the starting lineup or the loss of confidence he not-so-secretly displayed as a result, the underwhelming end to Snell’s season last year has colored the perception Bucks fans hold of the 26-year-old.
Considering the low-usage, complementary responsibilities he carries on the offensive end, Snell’s cold spells certainly stick out like a sore thumb. That’s certainly exacerbated when Snell is periodically reluctant to launch treys from downtown as we saw down the stretch last season and in the team’s playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
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
The hope, of course, is that the arrival of new Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer acts as a catalyst for Snell rediscovering his offensive potency in the defined role he plays alongside the team’s cornerstones in superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.
As much as the focus will be on him reclaiming his sharpshooter status on the offensive end, Snell’s role defensively may be more crucial, considering the team’s aspirations on that front.
Snell’s responsibilities on the defensive end have been notable since arriving to Milwaukee in the wake of the severe hamstring injury Middleton suffered before the 2016-17 season.
That’s come in the form of regularly checking the most integral perimeter player on opposing teams over the last two seasons.
The often thankless duty that poses has been somewhat reflected in Snell’s underlying defensive numbers, seeing that the Bucks’ defense has been better in the minutes Snell has been on the bench compared to seeing minutes throughout the span.
In the 2016-17 season, the Bucks surrendered a difference of 4.4 points per 100 possessions in the times Snell was on the floor versus when he wasn’t while last year, the Bucks gave up 3.7 points per 100 possessions fewer under those same parameters, per NBA.com/stats.
As we’re all acutely aware of, there’s little to be gained from judging Snell’s defensive impact within the problematic scheme that was deployed under the Bucks’ previous coaching regime.
With the calculus changing around the Bucks’ defensive capabilities and potential, Snell’s status and contributions in this area will be key to the turnaround the organization envisions for next season.
Snell possesses both great physical tools (6’7″ with a near seven-foot wingspan) and solid mobility that are needed to potentially expand his range under any defensive scheme Coach Bud and his staff are looking to draw up at this point in time.
If anything, the criticism that can be made regarding Snell’s defensive qualities rely around his more reactive nature when defending and an effort can be made to have Snell dig in to act more disruptive when breaking up passing lanes or impeding his assignment’s movement on the floor.
No question that’s much easier said than done and a lot of that falls on Snell’s shoulders to utilize both his physical characteristics and mentality to reach the heights of his potential on that end.
Next. Bucks: Matthew Dellavedova’s screens are impactful. dark
A lot is riding on Snell experiencing an overall rejuvenation in his play next season and with the fresh start he’s been given with Budenholzer now on board, the improvements he’ll be asked to provide on both ends of the floor may very well be attainable in the long run.