The Milwaukee Bucks were supposed to make a big leap this season and instead have totally faceplanted. As a result, there’s talk of what they should do to try and correct course and get back to being a playoff team. What cost them was trading veterans Jared Dudley and Zaza Pachulia, on top of the Brandon Knight-Michael Carter-Williams deal that ruined their efficiency and killed last season’s mojo.
However, despite the fact that the Bucks are likely to be active in talks at the trade deadline, ESPN reports that two of their biggest names, Greg Monroe and Jabari Parker, are non-starters for any discussions with teams.
Sources say that Bucks center Greg Monroe, contrary to recent speculation, is not being made available. Despite the Bucks’ 22-32 struggles in Monroe’s first season in Milwaukee, they’re not looking to surrender their marquee free-agent newcomer before he completes his first season in town.
The Bucks, sources say, are also turning aside the calls they’re getting on young forward Jabari Parker, who continues to recover from ACL surgery, but point guard Michael Carter-Williams is undeniably gettable.
Source: Trade buzz: Kevin Love untouchable? – Marc Stein- ESPN.
On the on hand, patience is a virtue. Yes, this season failed to go as planned. But Parker has looked explosive, and is in only his first season back from ACL surgery. He looks way too talented to give up on right now, under any reasonable trade offer. Monroe’s a bit more complicated.
I’ve long defended Monroe, as he’s a hard worker with great offensive touch who genuinely does try on the defensive end. He’s just limited. The problem is that Monroe fits in with a number of players who are defensive liabilities at the center position, which means you absolutely must have a rim protector at the four spot, and those are very hard to come by. Serge Ibaka is really the only high-level guy you can point to at that position in that regard.
The Pistons tried playing Monroe next to Andre Drummond at the four, and it was a disaster. So if the Bucks can’t find a way to cover for Monroe’s liabilities, keeping him could be very costly in the long-term.
Either way, if they can find anyone take MCW, they need to. He can still be a productive player, but he needs several years as a reserve to learn what he needs to in order to be a positive on the court.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
