According to multiple reports coming out of Milwaukee, the Bucks have made 26-year-old center Greg Monroe “very available” on the open market.
https://twitter.com/GM_Hoops/status/744966334371495936
Monroe averaged 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in just under 30 minutes per game in his first season as a Buck after signing a three-year, $50 million contract in the 2015 off season.
Monroe is a talented young big man but he is a throwback in the sense that he is a back to the basket big man who doesn’t protect the rim well, lacks the lateral quickness to defend the pick and roll and struggles when forced away from the hoop against smaller lineups.
He is a very good rebounder and can score around the rim with his size, post moves and touch but he is a lower level NBA athlete and doesn’t posses a consistent jump shot to stretch the floor.
The Bucks roster and style of play they should employ does not mesh with Monroe’s talents or style of play as the Bucks have a lot of long, talented young athletes who can defend and get up and down the floor.
Some teams that are starving for a traditional big man with Monroe’s scoring and rebounding ability and the kind of pace he would excel in are the Pacers, Hornets, Mavericks or even the Grizzlies depending on the health of Marc Gasol or Zach Randolph.
Monroe just seems to be the unfortunate victim of a player who doesn’t fit the way the NBA game is evolving into as a more traditional back to the basket big man.
It will be interesting to see if the Bucks pull the trigger on a deal for Monroe or struggling point guard Michael Carter-Williams during the draft or the off season.
