Depending on who you ask, John Henson can be one of the most polarizing Bucks players. Even though I don’t think the criticism he sometimes receives is at all fair to him.
The player that Henson is now, is the player that he was when he entered the league. He was never going to be a star. He probably shouldn’t be a starter; but it’s not his fault the Bucks have mismanaged their roster. It’s not his fault the Bucks offered him a 4-year / $48 million contract after a season in which he averaged 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds.
But nonetheless, Henson has remained a professional, understanding his role and what is expected of him on the court. He continues to be a positive force in the community. And he just had his best season in the NBA, at age 27.
2016-17: 6.8 PPG (51% FG, 0-1 3PT, 69% FT), 5.1 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.3 BPG, 19.4 MPG
2017-18: 8.8 PPG (57% FG, 1-7 3PT, 57% FT), 6.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.4 BPG, 25.9 MPG
Henson’s per game statistics aren’t super impressive, and they aren’t even career highs. But, his 1,970 minutes played in 76 games with 69 starts are all career bests. In a season that started with Greg Monroe as the featured center, and Thon Maker as the guy in waiting, it was John Henson that provided the much-needed stability at that position. Milwaukee would have seriously struggled to make the playoffs without his consistent play all season.
As the longest tenured player on the roster, Henson’s role as a mentor and a veteran serves more value to the organization than I think most people realize. He’s been with the Bucks since he was drafted. His role has consistently fluctuated from year to year; yet, he never complains or makes it about him. Good teams need veteran players like John Henson.
AP Photo / Kathy WillensThat said, his contract is less than ideal. Milwaukee faces the dilemma of needing to make roster changes but are nearly capped out with deals given to role players. Henson has two years and over $21 million left on his contract. The good news is that the final two years are worth less than the first two years. The bad news is that it’s still a lot to be paying for a role player.
The Bucks need to make some roster changes this summer. But I don’t think they need to trade Henson. For one, I’m not sure any teams are going to be too eager to take on his remaining money knowing what kind of production he is able to give them. And second, Henson has become so woven into the fabric of this franchise that I’d hate to see him simply pawned off as a salary dump. He deserves better than that. He deserves to be a Buck.
Still, if Milwaukee enters the 2018-19 season with John Henson as their starting center. We have a problem on our hands. This is a big summer for GM Jon Horst.
