Milwaukee Bucks: Do They Want Greg Monroe To Opt In?

Milwaukee Bucks center, Greg Monroe has a player option for 2017-2018. Do they want him opt-in?

When the Milwaukee Bucks signed Greg Monroe in free agency, it was a momentous occasion for the franchise. Having one of the top free agents choose Milwaukee, spoke volumes as to how far the organization had come.

This includes their decision to hire Jason Kidd. Without Kidd, it is unlikely that Monroe would have signed with Milwaukee. The young coach was able to convince the center he would be part of an up and coming team. An opportunity to play with young players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton made the Bucks an appealing option.

But after a disappointing first year, questions arose about Monroe’s fit with the team. Coming off a year in which the Bucks were known for their defense, the team took a major step back in 2015-2016. This coincided with Monroe’s arrival. Therefore, the center took a substantial amount of blame for the setback.

Even though the Bucks defensive woes went far beyond Greg Monroe, he also fell short of meeting offensive expectations. Part of this was not his fault as Kidd moved him to the second unit in hopes of adding scoring from the bench. Despite the shake-up, the Bucks failed to make the playoffs and the rumors of trading Monroe persisted.

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This season, the center has continued in his role off the bench. But while his spot in the rotation remained the same his production improved on both ends of the court. As soon as the first unit becomes stagnant, Coach Kidd inserts Monroe. Despite a reliance on outside shooting throughout the league, it is a luxury to have a big man with the ability to beat his man one on one.

Throughout the season this has helped Milwaukee keep opponents from going on extended runs. By simply feeding Monroe in the post, it is almost a guarantee that he will get a good look at the basket.

Now that he has cemented himself as a major asset to the team, the question is do the Bucks want him to opt-in to his 2017-2018 player option? If he chooses a return to Milwaukee, he will be paid $17.8 million. This would be a slight increase from the $17.1 million he was owed this season.

In this context, Milwaukee should hope he chooses to stay put. Even though they will play most of next season without Jabari Parker, their recent resurgence proves they can win without him. But, it would be a different story if Monroe were not part of the team. His steadying leadership and production are major reasons for the team’s success.

On the flip side, if Monroe were to opt-out, the Bucks would have plenty of money to spend in free agency. However, before getting too excited about adding another piece, they must consider the possibility that they would not be able to attract a top name. Then, they would be stuck adding more players such as Mirza Teletovic or Matthew Dellavedova. While role players are important, the Bucks would be better off by having another year with Monroe.

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If Giannis Antetokounmpo further develops his jump shot and Thon Maker spends the offseason getting stronger, Milwaukee should improve by next year. Losing Greg Monroe would be a major hit to the team’s rotation and chemistry. One that would be difficult to replace with another free-agent. Therefore, the Bucks should be hoping that he returns to the team in 2016-2017.