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63. Greg Monroe, PF, Bucks

Greg Monroe’s low post-centric, one-way nature of his game will force the Milwaukee Bucks to make a decision about his future.

A change of scenery didn’t produce a change in narrative for Greg Monroe (15.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG). The 6'11" center moved from Detroit to Milwaukee as a free agent last summer, only to keep stacking up double-doubles, suffering through countless losses and enduring questions about his defensive shortcomings in a new location. The essential dilemma is this: if Monroe, 26, isn’t quick and mobile enough to defend starting power forwards (he’s not) and he isn’t blessed with the rim-protecting skills and low-post defensive fundamentals to defend starting centers (he’s not), then how can he contribute to a winning enterprise? The best solution is likely to move him permanently to a super sub role, where he can crash the offensive glass and punish backups on offense while skating by as best he can on defense. That might feel like an overly harsh demotion for a player who has consistently averaged roughly 17/10 per 36 minute for five straight seasons, but the low post-centric, one-way nature of his game cuts against the prevailing winds of the modern NBA. Monroe’s game isn’t trendy, and it isn’t likely to change radically given his limited range and physical limitations, so something else will have to give. (Last year: No. 48)

+ Only two players (Jordan, Drummond) have collected more offensive rebounds since 2011
+ He has appeared in 96% of his team’s games during his career, missing just 19 games in six years
Detroit posted better efficiency numbers and won 12 more games without him
In six seasons, he’s never played for a team that’s won more than 33 games