Milwaukee Bucks: Cole Aldrich could help correct roster imbalance

Thanks to the Eric Bledsoe trade, the Milwaukee Bucks have a roster imbalance. Could Cole Aldrich be the answer to this problem.

When the Milwaukee Bucks traded Greg Monroe to the Phoenix Suns, they created a roster imbalance by getting a guard back. Eric Bledsoe has certainly made this team better, but in order to match up with the top teams of the Eastern and Western Conference, the Bucks need another big man.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, they are already over the salary cap. This means they have to trade in order to get the player they need. However, the Bucks have greater needs than just a big man. They lack experience in the second unit. Thon Maker is the current reserve center and he is just in his second year.

Malcolm Brogdon has been a crucial part of the second unit and is also only in his second season. Rashad Vaughn is in his third season. The most experienced regular rotation players are Matthew Dellavedova, who is in his fifth season, and Jason Terry, who cannot play extended minutes at the age of 40.

This lack of experience can really hurt the Bucks on the biggest stage. The second units of teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards in the East will punish the Bucks.

An experienced pivot to anchor the second unit will certainly shore up the defense. Here is why Cole Aldrich, currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves, is a great option for the Bucks going forward.

The benefits of Cole Aldrich

Aldrich is a player who knows his own game. Players like Amir Johnson have carved out careers in the NBA by knowing who they are and playing to their strengths. I am not saying Aldrich is like Johnson, as they are two different players. But Aldrich understands himself and his role in a similar fashion.

Aldrich is not a good shooter. From the field he shoots at 53 percent for his career. He does not move far from home though, as his average distance of shot is just 3.7 feet. For six of his eight seasons, Aldrich has taken more than 50 percent of his shots from 0-3 feet. This season he has taken 85.7 percent from this range.

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This is the sort of player the Bucks need on offense in the second unit. He will take the shots that come naturally and not force anything, which is what less experienced players tend to do.

Aldrich can also rebound. He is collecting 12.0 rebounds per 36 minutes. He is also collecting 1.5 steals and 2.5 blocks by the same metric.

Drilling into his advanced stats, for his career Aldrich collects 26.9 percent of all defensive rebounds when he is on the court. He collects 11.2 percent of all offensive rebounds when he is on the court. This translates to 19.0 percent of all rebounds when he is on the court. Aldrich collects almost one in five rebounds when he plays.

This is a player who knows what he needs to do to help his teammates and his team.

Who the Bucks needs to give up

Unfortunately for the Milwaukee Bucks, they would need to give up Matthew Dellavedova. The Australian guard has a contract worth $9.6 million per season for the next three years. It is safe to say he has not lived up to this contract so far in his time with the Bucks.

Aldrich has a contract worth $7.3 million this season and $6.9 million next season. This contract is over $2 million a year cheaper and finishes a year earlier.

The Bucks have more than enough guards at the moment, so the loss of a rotation guard will not hurt them much. The Timberwolves have used Aldrich sparingly this season. His lack of offensive production being an issue keeping him off the court.

The Timberwolves also need another 3-point shooter and some backcourt depth. Dellavedova is a 38.8 percent career shooter from deep. He is also a hard-nosed defender, which coach Tom Thibodeau values.

The other attribute  Dellavedova can bring is championship experience. With the team looking to make its first playoff appearance in 13 years, this could be crucial.

This could be one of the times where a trade benefits both clubs. The Milwaukee Bucks are on the cusp of a top seed. Aldrich could pust them up one or two more seeds.

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The Bucks don’t need to make a blockbuster move to compete. They have Jabari Parker coming back from injury in about a month. With Parker, Giannis Antetkounmpo and Khris Middleton, the Bucks have their star power. The supporting cast just needs to be stronger.