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Milwaukee Bucks: Is Malcolm Brogdon a Max Player?

By TJ Bain

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 20: Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball against the Boston Celtics during game three of round one of the Eastern Conference playoffs at the Bradley Center on April 20, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 20: Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball against the Boston Celtics during game three of round one of the Eastern Conference playoffs at the Bradley Center on April 20, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Malcolm Brogdon is a very valuable piece to the Milwaukee Bucks’ success. However, is he worth a max contract extension this summer?

The Milwaukee Bucks season has started better than most experts projected. After nine games, the Bucks are 8-1 with the only loss coming against the Boston Celtics. They have already played some of the best teams in the league, even giving the Toronto Raptors their only loss on the young season.

Many consider Milwaukee to be the best team in the Eastern Conference and a top three in the NBA. This year looks bright with NBA championship hopes at an all-time high but what about the future.

Bucks are going to have many free agents this offseason, with at least one player that could demand a max contract, Malcolm Brogdon. That will be the main question for management, is Malcolm Brogdon a max player? It’s not an easy question to answer and that is why we will take a dive into this discussion of should the Bucks pay Brogdon what he demands or let him go in free agency.

Milwaukee found a star in Brogdon who was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NBA draft. Brogdon is one of those rare players in today’s game that played all four years at college with Virginia. A 6-foot-5 in combo guard that can handle the ball like a point guard but can excel at the shooting guard spot.

The 2017 Rookie of the year, Brogdon joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969-1970) as the only two Bucks player in their franchise history to win that award. Brogdon also becomes the first player since 1966 to win ROY after getting drafted in the second round. Finishing that season with NBA All-Rookie First Team award, the Bucks seemed to have found their starting two guards for the foreseeable future or have they?

Brogdon will be entering the final year of his contract and the team has to come to a decision if they want to sign him to a max deal. Many teams around the league will do everything they can to steal him from the Bucks in free agency next summer. The front office is going to have a tough time trying to keep this roster together after this season. They have been able to avoid the luxury tax but if they want to stay in the hunt for years to come, they just might have too.

Stats will always be something that everyone refers to when they are talking about if a player deserves a max contract. That won’t be the case for Brogdon as he is a 14 points,  four assists and four rebounds per game type of player.

The key is that you need to put into factor that he is averaging those stats as the 3rd option on the team. Which is pretty impressive especially when you are playing alongside the early season 2019 MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Brogdon will have to take less than what he is worth if he wants to remain with the Bucks after this season. It’s all in for the Bucks this season as this could be last season with this roster.

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