Here are our player scouting reports for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Projected starters
Michael Carter-Williams
Position: Guard
Experience: 2 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Inefficient scorer and ball dominator with awkward jump shot
+ Long, athletic playmaker who gets loose with the ball at times
+ Has become a plus defender, with potential to get much better
Analysis
One minute, he's Rookie of the Year. The next, he gets traded. In a league losing its taste for poor-shooting point guards, Michael Carter-Williams still has to prove he fits. The Bucks weren't convinced that Brandon Knight was their long-term answer, so rather than deal with his restricted free agency, Milwaukee landed Carter-Williams in a multi-team deal. MCW has two more years of team control left on his rookie contract but will be eligible for an extension at this time next year. Suffice to say, it's a big season for him.
Carter-Williams' offensive scouting report is littered with red marks. His high turnover rate (19.5 percent in 2014-15) reflects a tendency to try the spectacular play at the expense of the easy one. His shot is broken, no matter where or how he gets it off. He draws fouls at an elite rate, but his free throw percentage has been in the league's bottom third. His accuracy around the hoop is at that level as well, and he gets far too many shots blocked. His face-up markers are the stuff of a Wes Craven film. Midrange: 10th percentile. 3-pointers: 25th percentile. Jumpers off dribble: 0 percentile. Catch-and-shoot unguarded: 13th percentile. You get the point. He uses his 6-foot-6 frame well and has potential as a dynamic playmaker -- his assist rate last season was in the top 5 percent of the NBA. But the way the NBA is played today, MCW must push at least a couple of his shooting numbers to at or near league average.
Carter-Williams' defensive markers were much improved from his rookie season and are now above average. The Bucks, already strong on defense, were even more effective with him on the floor. His long arms and ability to play the passing lanes fits well with Milwaukee's aggressive scheme and the trio of MCW, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton can really smother a team in the halfcourt.
This is a team that Carter-Williams can grow with, but things move fast in the NBA. If he doesn't show progress with his shooting, the aforementioned extension won't be a foregone conclusion.
Khris Middleton
Position: Guard
Experience: 3 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Rising, prototypical two-way off-guard
+ Accurate long-range shooter with quick release on catch-and-shoot plays
+ Disruptive perimeter defender with long arms and plus athleticism
Analysis
Talk about a well-timed breakout. Middleton proved to be one of the most improved players in the league before hitting restricted free agency this past summer. Even though he played fewer total minutes in 2014-15 than he did the previous season, Middleton moved from 254th to 64th in WARP. And real plus-minus (RPM) loved Middleton so much that the Bucks media staff started tracking it in their pregame notes package. As a result, he cashed in with a five-year, $70 million deal to remain in Milwaukee.
With plus athleticism and a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Middleton is a disruptive wing defender. His single-season RPM in 2014-15 (plus-4.09) ranked eighth in the league and was third among wings behind Tony Allen and Kawhi Leonard. His ability to play the passing lanes fits Milwaukee's trapping scheme and he's an above-average defensive rebounder. His metrics were strong against opposing shooters (94th percentile, per SportVu) and Synergy put him in the 96th percentile against isolations. Middleton is slightly built and can be bullied at times, as he was by Chicago's Jimmy Butler during the postseason. Still, if Milwaukee's team defense remains elite, Middleton could push for all-defense recognition.
Middleton is a prototypical off-guard on the offensive end. He moves well without the ball and became a deadly accurate catch-and-shoot player with a quick release and a knack for taking big shots. He shot 51.4 percent on corner 3s last season and also has a nice pull-game that rated in the top 15 percent of midrange shooters the past two seasons. He struggles around the rim, however, both in terms of finishing and drawing contact, so he's developed a nice floater as his go-to move in the paint. Middleton is an excellent passer and takes good care of the ball. The next evolution in his arsenal might be to become more of a consistent post option, an area in which he's shown promise the past two seasons.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Position: Forward
Experience: 2 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Super-long, athletic player with the ability to play four positions
+ Still developing face-up consistency and range
+ Has defensive player of the year potential
Analysis
After last season, it's up for debate whether Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jabari Parker will be the face of the franchise in Milwaukee. That's not a knock on Parker. The gregarious Antetokounmpo simply has a star's personality and a game that's one or two more big steps away from elite.
Big steps are, quite literally, all Antetokounmpo can take. Listed at 6-9 when he entered the NBA, the 20-year-old has grown two inches and now has a 7-3 wingspan -- about the same as Dwight Howard's. Yet Antetokounmpo is a bonafide perimeter player who even took some experimental turns at point guard during the summer of 2014. That's not his future, but the "Greek Freak" is fast becoming a positionless player you can use in virtually any fashion.
Antetokounmpo finished with a plus-1.01 offensive RPM and that reflects his growing excellence in all categories, save for his jump shot. He's got excellent court vision and often spectacular passing skills. His assist rate is well above average for a non-point guard and his per-pass metrics improved during his second season as well. Antetokounmpo has a tendency to try to make something out of nothing and that's reflected in a high turnover rate, though that too improved last season. After adding some needed muscle to his long frame, Antetokounmpo once again posted near-elite foul-drawing rates but this time finished effectively at the rim.
Unfortunately, his 3-point stroke faltered so badly that he too often defaulted to bulldozing his way into the lane even against sagging defenses. Antetokounmpo is a tireless worker and his lengthy post-practice regimen involves hoisting endless corner 3s. But he only took seven in games last season, per NBA.com/stats. Antetokounmpo has a tendency to hesitate and make unneeded ball fakes when he catches the ball on the perimeter. When he simply catches and shoots, he's much more accurate.
Antetokounmpo sported a plus-1.11 defensive RPM last season (82nd percentile) but has the ability to enter the DPOY conversation. His block rates are those of an interior player, though his SportVu metrics at protecting the rim and defending shooters were more average than elite. He has a tendency to reach and gets into foul trouble too often. In other words, while Antetokounmpo is already quite good on the defensive end, he has plenty of room for growth.
That goes for his overall game, too. Despite his across-the-board improvement, Antetokounmpo's WARP was still in just the 75th percentile. He's a tireless worker, a beloved teammate, a bubbly personality and has a marketing executive's dream of a nickname. On a team full of young players with All-Star potential, Antetokounmpo may prove to be the biggest star of them all.
Jabari Parker
Position: Forward
Experience: 1 year
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Dynamic off-the-dribble scorer with flashy crossover move
+ Solid passer and post-up option but needs to improve consistency and range of jump shot
+ Struggled on defense as a rookie but is an above-average rebounder
Analysis
Of all the surprises of the Bucks' 2014-15 season, perhaps the biggest is that they improved so much largely without Jabari Parker's help. The No. 2 overall pick was having a solid rookie season when he went down with a torn ACL in mid-December in a game at Phoenix. He watched the rest of the season from the sideline while his teammates made a run to the postseason. He was ready for the start of training camp, but the Bucks have pledged to bring him along slowly.
As expected, Parker showed an above-average ability to create offense right from the start. He was terrific off the dribble which, again, was no surprise. Parker was in better shape than he was during his time at Duke and that showed in surprising explosiveness. Parker shot 70.7 percent at the rim (94th percentile) and finished with a better-than-average foul-drawing rate, according to NBA.com/stats. He has some ball-dominating tendencies but is a good passer, with average metrics as a rookie that should improve as he grows into the NBA game. All things considered, his below-average turnover rate wasn't bad.
As for areas of improvement, Parker must add range to get behind the arc, where he shot just 25 percent as a rookie. His midrange shot was inconsistent as well and he looked uncomfortable in catch-and-shoot situations. The Bucks are likely to spread around the playmaking opportunities, so Parker will need to become more efficient at playing without the ball in his hands.
His single-season defensive RPM (minus-2.66) was in the bottom 6 percent of the league and he'll have to get a lot better to keep up with the defensive efforts of his athletic teammates. According to SportVu, his rim-protection metrics and effect on opposing shooters both rated in the bottom 7 percent. Defense may never be a strength for Parker, and Milwaukee has plenty of options to pick up the slack. Still, star players make an impact on both ends of the floor. Parker is an above-average rebounder and put up a solid rookie season steal rate.
Greg Monroe
Position: Center
Experience: 5 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Well-rounded post scorer with excellent court vision
+ Plus rebounder on both ends of the floor
+ Below-average athlete who doesn't block a lot of shots
Analysis
When looking at Greg Monroe's numbers from the past couple of seasons, you have keep in mind his court-sharing arrangement in Detroit with Andre Drummond and, less often, Josh Smith. Monroe played 1,109 minutes the past two seasons without either big man next to him, according to nbawowy.com, and averaged 20.4 points and 13.2 rebounds per 36 minutes, with a usage rate over 26 percent and a true shooting percentage of .569 during those stretches.
On offense, Monroe is a skilled post player with a wayward shooting touch from midrange. The hope is that part of his game will be de-emphasized on a Milwaukee team that had zero post presence last season. Monroe has a full range of post moves, but relies heavily on his left hand to score. Even when turning to his left shoulder, Monroe tends to default to an up-and-under move to get a shot up with his left hand. His actual post metrics and shooting percentage at the rim are just average. He's actually a natural righty, and the ability to develop a more effective counter move with that hand would only help his efficiency.
Monroe is a skilled passer out of the post and from the elbow, and particularly adept at finding cutters. He likes to slowly back down defenders with the dribble and then kick out to a spot-up shooter if a second defender runs at him. This can bog down the offense at times and he needs to do a better job of recognizing when the perimeter guys he's looking for aren't actually good shooters.
Monroe's defensive RPM ranked in the 91st percentile through last season. He's not a high-level shot blocker; his vertical and the quickness of his leap are limited, and he's generally slow afoot. He's an excellent defensive rebounder and his addition in that regard may be the biggest immediate benefit for a Bucks team that struggled in that department. He draws a good number of charges but nevertheless, his rim protection metrics are around the league median, and much worse than that when adjusted for position.
The good news is that the Bucks' outstanding defense was built off a collection of active, long-armed perimeter defenders, and those guys are still around. You can't discount what Zaza Pachulia did for them in the middle, but there is plenty of reason to hope that Monroe will not sink a defense that won't often ask him to venture out of the lane.
Reserves
John Henson
Position: Forward
Experience: 3 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Athletic, ultra-long interior defender and elite shot blocker
+ Strong rebounder on both ends of the floor
+ Efficient but limited offensive player with role shrinking annually
Analysis
Former lottery pick John Henson may still not be a starter in Milwaukee, but it looks like he's going to remain a fixture for the Bucks for years to come. Though he is slated to back up Monroe at center and pick up minutes at the 4 in big lineups, Henson signed a four-year extension late this summer to remain a part of Milwaukee's exciting young core.
No longer does Henson seem likely to become a plus offensive player, but he's such a good rebounder and rim protector that he's still a valuable rotation player. There is still a wide disconnect between Henson's WARP (4.6 last season, 85th percentile) and his RPM (minus-4.73, 4th percentile). If he's going to be a foundation player for the Bucks, Henson is going to have to find offensive harmony with his teammates.
Henson's usage rate has fallen in recent seasons and may need to keep going down. He's wisely abandoned attempts at becoming a midrange shooter. He's an elite athlete and above-average finisher in the paint and has a nice touch when moving toward the basket. However, his post game is limited, and for all his length, Henson can be muscled down low because of a thin frame. He gets to the line but it's an adventure once he gets there. His lack of strength hurts him in terms of turnovers and he's only a moderately effective passer. Still, with a .578 true shooting percentage and top-flight offensive rebound rates, there is no clear-cut reason why Henson's presence would be such a drag on the Milwaukee offense.
There's no such mystery in regard to Henson's defense. His single-season defensive RPM climbed to plus-1.32. He rated in the 83rd percentile at SportVu in protecting the rim and blocked 9.3 percent of opponents' shots when he was on the floor, leading the league among players with at least 500 minutes. His lack of strength can be a problem down low on this side of the ball, too, but he moves extremely well for a player his size, holding up well in isolation and against the pick-and-roll. On the glass, Henson tends to defer uncontested rebounds to his teammates but, per SportVu, ranked in the 96th percentile in winning contest boards.
O.J. Mayo
Position: Guard
Experience: 7 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Talented but streaky scorer well-suited for sixth-man role
+ Strong and athletic. Can be exciting in good and bad ways
+ Below-average but playable defender who defends perimeter shooters well
Analysis
Here's a new role for O.J. Mayo: With seven years of NBA experience under his belt, he's basically the elder statesman on this year's Milwaukee roster. After starting all 82 games just two seasons ago in Dallas, Mayo has settled in nicely to what has mostly been an instant-offense role with the Bucks. He's still streaky, but plays unselfishly. And when he heats up, Mayo can carry the Milwaukee offense for quarters at a time. It's a valuable trait on a Bucks roster that lacks offensive creators.
Mayo joined most of his teammates in committing too many turnovers in 2014-15. Yet while we've long recognized that Mayo is a solid playmaker, the recent advent of tracking data shows us how effective he can be as a passer. Mayo created .163 scoring plays per pass last season, a clip that put him in the 95th percentile league wide. His overall efficiency wavers with his 3-point percentage and last season he slumped on above-the-break looks from deep.
Mayo is a high-level corner shooter, and for a player who uses 23-24 percent of his team's possessions, his league-average true shooting percentage is perfectly acceptable. His offensive RPM was also above the league standard, validating his impact.
Mayo is a below-average defender but is far from a liability, even on the defensively-loaded Bucks. His reach is limited, but he's strong and has elite leaping ability. You'd like to see Mayo compete a little harder on the boards. Still, despite a limited wingspan, SportVu has rated Mayo's effect on opposing shooters in the 92nd and 97th percentile the past two years, respectively. He does has a tendency to commit head-scratching fouls.
This will be a contract season for Mayo. If he can keep his up-and-down 3-point percentage on the high side, he'll be in position to cash on the loads of money available around the league next summer.
Greivis Vasquez
Position: Guard
Experience: 5 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Consistent deep shooter with catch-and-shoot skills
+ Struggles to score inside the arc. A good passer, but tends to get loose with the ball
+ Poor individual defender and rebounder who draws a solid rate of offensive fouls
Analysis
Though coached by a future Hall of Fame point guard, the Bucks struggled to find 1s last season before acquiring Michael Carter-Williams. Even with MCW on board, Milwaukee juggled combo guards to fill minutes at the position and ultimately posted the second-worst turnover rate in the league.
Enter Greivis Vasquez.
Not as athletic as Carter-Williams, Vasquez is just as tall and a much better shooter. He provides much-needed playmaking at both backcourt positions, having reached as high as the 99th percentile in assist rate during his career. Vasquez's turnover rate has been too high when he has been a primary playmaker, but his per-pass production was strong last season for a Toronto team that asked him to do less playmaking. Vasquez's near-elite catch-and-shoot abilities make him a good fit to play off of Carter-Williams and Milwaukee's shoot-first backup guards, Mayo and Jerryd Bayless. He is perimeter-oriented and will provide needed spacing even when he's not getting looks.
Vasquez's value metrics on defense are poor, with a defensive RPM last season of minus-2.21. He's a bit slow and teams like to isolate him in space, something that may be more difficult to do when Vasquez is dropped into Milwaukee's collection of long-armed perimeter disrupters. Vasquez competes on the defensive end and shows a willingness to put himself between a penetrator and the basket. For a point guard his size, Vasquez's rebounding has been shockingly poor the past couple of seasons.
Jerryd Bayless
Position: Guard
Experience: 7 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Quick guard with tweener body type and skillset
+ Reliable midrange stroke but inconsistent from deep
+ Struggles to orchestrate an offense when overexposed as a point guard
Analysis
Bayless and Mayo are likely to be the only players on this year's Milwaukee roster with at least six years of NBA experience. Bayless, a seven-year vet, is good quote for local media, and he's been a pretty good ballplayer at times as well.
Not so much last season, when his WARP fell below replacement level and his 2014-15 RPM (minus-2.89) felt into the NBA's bottom quadrant. Forced to play more point guard than he's really comfortable with, Bayless' touches were up, as were his passes per touch. His shots per touch and usage rate were down. That's not his game, and his ballooning turnover rate reflects that. Luckily, the Bucks went out and traded for Vasquez to serve as the primary backup at point.
In theory, that gets Bayless back to what he does best: score off the dribble, serve as a secondary playmaker and provide adequate spot-up shooting off the ball. Bayless is a tweener, both in body type and playing style. That description extends to his shooting arsenal. He's never quite been able to get consistent for long range but has a reliable midrange shot. While he likes to turn the corner after a ball screen, his metrics off of drives have been poor the past two seasons.
Bayless is still young enough to shore up the qualities that can make him a useful role player, and it begins with extending the range of his shot. If he can do that and slash his turnover rate, his below-average defense is playable enough to earn him 20-plus minutes. His contract is up after this season, so it's a big one for Bayless.
Chris Copeland
Position: Forward
Experience: 3 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Experienced volume scorer with 3-point range
+ Below-average rebounder and passer
+ Immobile defender who is effective in close quarters
Analysis
Though he has just three NBA seasons under his belt, former overseas stalwart Chris Copeland will be the oldest player on a young Bucks roster. Copeland, 31, was never able to win the confidence of Frank Vogel on defense, and he racked up a lot of DNPs for the Pacers over the past two seasons. When he did play, Copeland was inconsistent with the one thing he was supposed to provide: above-40-percent 3-point shooting. He churns through possessions at a high rate, and over half his shot attempts last season came from beyond the arc.
All of this means that Copeland's impact is directly tied to his long-range accuracy. Two years ago, it was high, and his RPM was plus-1.32. Last season it was not, and the RPM was minus-0.94. As we know, long range shooting fluctuates and the Bucks hope to catch Copeland's stroke on the upswing.
As for added value, there's not much above average. His defensive RPMs have been in the red in all three of his seasons. However, his block rate is surprisingly solid and his effect against shooters the past two years has been near the 70th percentile. You just don't want to leave him on an island.
Over the summer, Copeland declared himself fully recovered from the terrible stabbing incident that ended his season in April and briefly left him in critical condition.
Miles Plumlee
Position: Center
Experience: 3 years
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Athletic rim-runner and offensive rebounder
+ High-level rebounder on both ends
+ Offensive arsenal limited to lobs and putbacks
Analysis
Miles Plumlee seemed on the cusp after starting 79 games for the Suns two seasons ago. After slumping last season, he was ultimately traded to Milwaukee and proceeded to play little for the Bucks down the stretch. Milwaukee has since signed Monroe and given Henson an extension. Plumlee has to be wondering if he'll soon be shopping for his fourth NBA team.
His offensive RPM has been severely negative all through his career. His game is pretty much limited to running the floor and pounding the offensive glass. Last season, his efficiency around the rim fell off. He doesn't have much of a post-up game and his passing instincts are lacking.
So far, Plumlee's defensive RPMs have been on the plus side. He allowed just 40.6 percent at the rim last season (97th percentile) and his block rate was in the league's top 7 percent, per SportVu. However, Plumlee has a tendency to stray from his man and his effect on opposing shooters was lacking.
Still, he's hyper-athletic, and that would earn him regular playing time on most teams. But given the Bucks' depth chart, one of those teams may not be Milwaukee. Still, as a third center and contingency option for a team reliant on elite defense, you could do a heck of a lot worse.
Rashad Vaughn
Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
2015 draft profile
Scouting report
+ Natural scorer, especially off the dribble
+ Inconsistent jump shot with limited range
+ Not much in the way of a defensive track record
Analysis
The Bucks took the long view when they selected shooting prospect Rashad Vaughn out of UNLV at No. 17 in June. Vaughn, who turned 19 in August, has the traits of a natural scorer. He can score inside and out, off the dribble and when spotting up. On the downside, Vaughn is a volume player and doesn't profile as a good enough playmaker to spend much time at the point. He's 6-6 with average arm length and isn't a great bet to swing between the wing positions that effectively, either.
On the upside, he's a good athlete and was one of the younger players in the draft. There is plenty of time for Vaughn to fine-tune his arsenal and add some needed range and consistency to his outside shot. Vaughn's lone college season ended because of a knee injury, and while that didn't deter the Bucks from taking him it does suggest he'll be brought along slowly. Vaughn has a lot of players ahead of him on the depth chart, so we may not see much of him this season.
Tyler Ennis
Position: Guard
Experience: 1 year
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Good playmaker with solid instincts off the dribble
+ Average athleticism
+ Needs to add shooting range
Analysis
Tyler Ennis was enjoying a perfectly quiet, developmental rookie season behind a bevy of guards in Phoenix when, suddenly, he was shipped to Milwaukee and immediately thrust into action. Frankly, he often looked overmatched. His RPM over 411 total minutes (minus-5.02) rated among the league's worst.
But it wasn't all bad. His assist rate was point guard-worthy, underscoring the potential as a playmaker that got him drafted at No. 18 in 2014. He was able to post an above-average usage rate but was alarmingly inefficient with his possessions. No foul-drawing rate to speak of. Far too many turnovers. He shot 44.9 percent at the rim and 27.9 percent on 3s. His defensive RPM was in the league's bottom 6 percent, though he did post a high rate of steals. It was just a jumping off point for Ennis, who will focus on running Jason Kidd's offense in practice and working on his outside stroke.
He'll be the third point guard on the depth chart, but over a long season, Ennis will get his moments. All you want to see is some progress and some trust from his head coach.
Damien Inglis
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
2014 draft profile
Scouting report
+ Strong build and massive wingspan
+ Reputation for plus rebounding and defense
+ Good around the basket but needs to develop face-up shot
Analysis
The Bucks still don't know what they have in Damien Inglis after taking him with the first pick of the second round in 2014. Inglis didn't play at all during his rookie season because of foot trouble that included a pair of surgeries. Then he hurt himself again during summer league after shooting 29 percent in four games. He seems on track to play in training camp.
What we know about the 20-year-old Frenchman is that he's a solid 6-foot-8 with a massive 7-3 wingspan and plus athleticism that could add to Milwaukee's already fine collection of young defenders. His pre-NBA reputation was built on defense, rebounding and the ability to finish at the rim. During his long recovery last season, he was often spotted working on his deep stroke.
Whether or not that pays dividends is too soon to say. But a future as a plus defender and 3-point shooter with the raw athletic ability to become more than that? That would be a nice outcome for a player who has already been through a lot.
Johnny O'Bryant
Position: Forward
Experience: 1 year
2015-16 projections
Scouting report
+ Bulky space-eater with good rebounding ability
+ Limited athlete and immobile defender
+ Midrange shot a work in progress
Analysis
Johnny O'Bryant only played 368 minutes as a rookie, but started 15 games. His main task on those occasions was pretty much to stay out of the way. Most nights, if you didn't see O'Bryant under the minutes column, you'd be hard pressed to find anything in the box score to prove he played.
O'Bryant is a good offensive rebounder and has the build to play in the interior at the NBA level. He needs to get in better shape to maximize limited quickness and overall athleticism. He struggled to finish around the basket and had a lot of shots blocked.
The Bucks have hopes O'Bryant can develop into a midrange shooter and, according to NBA.com/stats, 56 percent of the shots he took as a rookie were from that zone. He made just 29.9 percent, so clearly he's going to have to prove himself to convince teams to play up on him. O'Bryant's general lack of mobility showed up on the defensive end, where all of his metrics were bad or worse.