NBA Free Agency 2017: Blake Griffin and the 10 biggest player option decisions
By John Buhler
Greg Monroe
Center, Milwaukee Bucks
It took two years, but Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe has successfully reinvented himself as an NBA player. The former bruising starting power forward for the Detroit Pistons ended up embracing a sixth man role for the Bucks bench in 2016-17. His great game in the frontcourt helped Milwaukee reach the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Monroe left Detroit in the summer of 2015 when he signed a three-year deal worth $50 million. The idea was that he would start at center alongside often-injured Bucks power forward Jabari Parker. Spacing was an issue, as Monroe will never become a jump shooter. He can still be very impactful in a throwback big man sort of role on many NBA teams.
Monroe is set to make $17.9 million should he opt-in to the final year of his deal for 2017-18. It’s great money for a high-end role player, but Monroe is a player to pay close attention to heading into the June 24 option deadline.
He may envision himself as a starter worth more than the $17.9 million he’s set to make. Monroe is playing for an up-and-coming team in Milwaukee, but his free agency stock may not be this high this time next year. If he has two bad years and one solid one in three with the Bucks, Monroe won’t make the type of money he did back in summer 2015.
Opting in for Monroe would indicate that he is fine with his sixth man role, as he firmly believes Bucks small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the next bona fide superstar in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo is the type of talent solid NBA players like Monroe would like to hitch their wagon to. Should Monroe opt out, he values starting and money more than he probably does winning. There could be a team or two that might be better fits for him than Milwaukee, but not many.