The Milwaukee Bucks are shopping big man Greg Monroe, according to Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops:
Sources: Bucks are shopping Greg Monroe hard. He's owed $17.1 million next season and has a $17.8 million player option for 2017-18 season.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 20, 2016
Monroe, who stands 6’11” and weighs in at 265 pounds, is a behemoth of a man. He’s big, strong, a good rebounder, and a talented scorer down low. However, he’s also a defensive liability, and doesn’t bring much of any spacing. In today’s NBA, he isn’t the player that most teams are looking for. This was pretty clear at the time Milwaukee signed him last Summer, which is why Milwaukee’s step backwards this season didn’t come as much of a surprise.
This season for the Bucks, Monroe averaged 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, but the Bucks won just 33 games–a steep decline from the team’s 41-win mark the season before.
Around the trade deadline this season, there were rumors about the Bucks trading Monroe to his hometown New Orleans Pelicans, but a deal never materialized.
The Bucks have a player who is –statistically speaking– one of the league’s best young rim protectors in John Henson. If Milwaukee believes that the 25-year-old is ready to take the starting spot, then shopping Monroe makes a lot of sense. Plus, the Bucks do have the tenth pick in this year’s draft (which is this Thursday!!!), and could use that pick to draft a big man if they wish.
