NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Sixth Man Of The Year Award In 2016-17

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Apr 5, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) drives for the basket as Cleveland Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov (20) defends during the first quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Greg Monroe

Okay, so maybe Greg Monroe‘s full-time demotion to sixth man duty was handled less than optimally. When you show up to Media Day and hear from reporters that your head coach told the world you’d be coming off the bench — before saying anything about it to you — yeah, that’s a little bit awkward.

But as poorly as Jason Kidd handled the situation, he’s right to bring Moose off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks. The team’s best stretch last season came with Monroe mopping up sixth man minutes, and there’s no question the Bucks will continue to consider trades for their offensively inclined big man throughout the 2016-17 season.

When a reporter told Monroe that Kidd had told the media he would be coming off the bench, Monroe said, "That's news to me.''
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) September 26, 2016

Assuming there are no takers for a flat-footed interior defender like Monroe, the Bucks could actually benefit from bringing him off the bench to put up points a la Enes Kanter. His defense is a big part of the reason Milwaukee regressed from second in defensive rating in 2014-15 to 22nd in 2015-16, but there’s no question this 26-year-old can get buckets on the low block.

With Khris Middleton out for possibly the whole season, the Bucks need his offense. They need to get back to their defensive roots to build for the future, which is why John Henson, Miles Plumlee or even Thon Maker makes most sense as the starter. However, to boost his trade value and get the most out of the upcoming season, the Bucks will have to hope Monroe embraces his new role.