Shooting 44% from 3Anybody think the Wizards would trade Bradley Beal straight up for Greg Monroe?? Good trade for both sides and Monroe would be back in the DC area...
Shooting 44% from 3
What kinda player is he. Does he have to have the ball in his hand to be effective?
Nope...plays off of the point guard. I asked this in the random thoughts thread and basically everyone stated that it wouldn't happen because the Wizards are prepared to make a run at Monroe in the off season without having to give up Beal.Shooting 44% from 3
What kinda player is he. Does he have to have the ball in his hand to be effective?
The hypothesized Greg Monroe trade that (sorta) makes sense
December 12, 2013 by Cal Sawyer
If there were a power ranking in regard to NBA players names being plugged into ESPN’s Trade Machine, Greg Monroe would be at or near the top of the list. The 23-year-old Monroe is set to hit free agency this summer and more than likely will be in search of a maximum-level contract. Although Monroe has been a proven post scorer and proficient rebounder, he’s struggled on the defensive end of the floor throughout his career.
For that very reason it seems as if the Pistons are weary of locking up Monroe to the max deal. The Pistons will have to take the chance of going into the offseason and waiting to see if any other team across the league is willing to give Monroe that type of money.
Would the Pistons actually trade Moose? (Photo Credit: Gerald Herbert, AP)
Therein lies the problem. If you’re the Pistons and you’re skeptical of handing over that kind of money to Monroe, what should you do?
Well, trading him is one solution, hence all of the rumors and Trade Machine shenanigans. But, the team has also made it (kind of) clear that they intend to lock up Monroe for the future. It is the Association though, and nothing is a sure thing.
I’m on record with the belief that trading Monroe could end up crippling the franchise if they make some rash decision. Monroe possesses great feet and patience which in return makes him one of the league’s best scorers from the block. Not only does he score from the post, Monroe is also a terrific passer and his paint P.I.C. Andre Drummond often pays dividends because of that.
Having a true post up player in Monroe has taken a lot of pressure off Drummond and has allowed the young big man to slowly evolve his offensive game.
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With everything said, there’s always a chance because of his contract situation that Monroe could be dealt, and of all the Monroe trade rumors, there’s one thought-up deal that isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.
ESPN NBA Countdown panelist and Grantland founder Bill Simmons tweeted, in my opinion, the only possible Greg Monroe deal that makes sense for both sides involved:
On last fake trade tweet: Detroit gets Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson + Jeff Withey; N.O. gets Greg Monroe + the Villanueva/Stuckey expirings.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 16, 2013
I bring this tweet up now almost a month later because the Pistons were in New Orleans last night and it seemed appropriate to get a first hand look at all parties involved. It was a great night for all the key cogs of the trade. Monroe, who hails from New Orleans (another reason this trade makes sense), finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Rodney Stuckey finished with 20 points off the bench. The Pelicans’ Ryan Anderson poured in 22 points and was the definition of clutch, closing out the game in overtime by hitting a pair of big-time threes. Eric Gordon, who has miraculously and fortunately played in all 20 Pelicans games so far this season, played a solid game, adding 14 points and six assists.
Why this trade makes sense
Right now there’s an obvious log jam in the paint on the current Pistons’ roster. Moving Monroe would send Josh Smith back to the power forward slot and away from the three-point line (HALLELUJAH).
In return the Pistons would receive one of the league’s most productive stretch-fours in Ryan Anderson, who’s having a career year averaging 21.7 points per game while shooting a blistering 50 percent from three.
Sharp-shooting Ryan Anderson is becoming a hot commodity. (Photo Credit: Glenn James/Getty Images)
Anderson has been one of the league’s most unheralded big’s throughout his five-year career; I mean, there’s not a lot of 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forwards that can shoot at the level Anderson does. The Pistons could utilize Anderson in an inordinate amount of ways offensively and he’s also the type of player that can give a team a scoring punch either as a starter, sixth man or role player.
The Pistons would also acquire a shooting guard in Eric Gordon that, when healthy, is an explosive scorer and reliable outside shooter, something the Pistons could desperately use.
But, the ultimate issue with Gordon is health.
Gordon hasn’t played more than 60 games since the 2009-10 NBA season. The Pistons have found some security in the two-guard slot from the promising rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but the verdict is still out. The possibility of adding a second player to that two-guard spot like Gordon could be an intriguing idea. Gordon makes over $13 million per season and has three years left on his deal which could be a deal-breaker because of his health woes, but having Caldwell-Pope as a security blanket helps.
The Pistons sending the Stuckey and Villanueva expiring contracts to New Orleans would be really enticing and beneficial to the Pelicans’ franchise and would allow them to sign Monroe to a max deal, back in his hometown, if they so choose. An imagined Monroe and Anthony Davis frontline would make a lot of sense as they both can play the four and five interchangeably, and Davis, an outstanding defensive talent, could mask Monroe’s inefficiencies at that end.
Why it doesn’t make sense
Monroe means too much to the Pistons’ future. Not only is he a terrific young talent, he’s a top-notch human being, and those two components could make it almost impossible to pull the trigger on a potential deal, even if it’s possible they could lose him anyway in free agency.
Also, there’s less drastic ways to solve the log jam up front. For starters, Josh Smith would serve the Pistons much better as their small forward if he displayed more of those lefty-hooks coming across the lane like he eloquently displayed in the fourth-quarter last night, rather than the usual barrage of low-percentage jump shots.
From the Pelicans’ perspective, it seems too early to cut ties with Gordon and put all the two-guard stock in Tyreke Evans. The injury history is troubling, but this year so far has been promising and hopefully he can stay healthy. Plus, at this moment, it would be really hard to let go of Anderson. Anderson also makes a lot of money, $8 million-plus with three years left on his deal, but he’s a relatively cheap commodity when taking into consideration the numbers he’s putting up.
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It’s still early in the season, but hey, it’s never too early to speculate and think ahead just a little bit.
Right?
Feel free to express your thoughts on this proposed fake deal and others you have in mind.
3 Greg Monroe Trade Ideas That Make Sense for the Detroit Pistons
What are the Detroit Pistons going to do with Greg Monroe?
The extension deadline came and went without a deal, so now Monroe will hit restricted free agency this offseason. Detroit can still match any offer in free agency, but it's going to cost them a pretty penny to so, if recent history is any indicator.
Monroe's agent, David Falk, also represents fellow Georgetown alum Roy Hibbert. If you'll recall, Hibbert hit restricted free agency two offseasons ago and signed a max offer sheet with the Portland Trail Blazers that the Indiana Pacers matched.
Monroe and Hibbert are different talents, of course, but players with this combination of size and ability don't come at a discount on the open market. A max deal is almost certainly on the way for Monroe.
Can Detroit afford it? Financially, yes. The Pistons can retain Monroe and stay under the luxury tax, at least for now. But once it comes time to pay Andre Drummond, that could change.
Ron Hoskins/Getty Images
The question is less about money and more about fit at this point. Josh Smith is signed long-term, and his unique skill-set complicates the equation. Can Smith, Monroe and Drummondall co-exist in the same frontcourt? That's the one question that has to be answered this season in Detroit.
Luckily, Pistons general manager Joe Dumars can take his time. A rush to judgment seems unlikely, as it would be prudent for the Pistons to give this a long look to see how viable it is to play all three players together.
Similar to what the Sacramento Kings did with Tyreke Evans this offseason, the Pistons can always work out a sign-and-trade with Monroe's next team if they deem him too expensive or simply a bad fit after this year.
That certainly seems like a more realistic option than dealing Monroe before the trade deadline. That said, if it's very clear that spacing and shooting are issues that will hold Detroit back from making the playoffs, perhaps Dumars would pounce on the right offer.
Dan Lippitt/Getty Images
What would Detroit want in return for Monroe? Most likely, help on the wing would be the top priority.
Brandon Jennings is locked up at point guard, Smith can (and should) play power forward, and Drummond is one of the most promising players in the league at center. While KentaviousCaldwell-Pope and Kyle Singler are promising, that's where the upgrade will likely need to be. After all, the whole point of trading Monroe would be because he's a bad fit with Drummondand Smith, not because he's a bad player.
What teams would be interested in acquiring Monroe in exchange for an enticing wing player? Let's dive in.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have somewhat similar problems to Detroit in that there's a surplus of locked up talent in the backcourt with Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, but there's not enough cap flexibility to add a legitimate threat in the frontcourt next to Anthony Davis.
While it's possible that the Pelicans can make it work with this group, exploring alternate options might not be a bad idea.
In this hypothetical deal, New Orleans would send Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson to Detroit for Greg Monroe, Rodney Stuckey and Charlie Villanueva.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
For Detroit, landing a perimeter scorer and underrated pick-and-roll player in Gordon would be a great find, so long as Gordon can stay healthy. While that's a risky proposition, Gordon could provide Detroit with the floor spacing and perimeter defense that's currently missing.
Adding one of the league's best shooting big men in Ryan Anderson to the frontcourt of Smith and Drummond could work as well, as those two players could protect Anderson on the defensive end.
While this move would eliminate Detroit from being a player in free agency for the next few seasons, that might not be a bad thing considering Dumars' tendency to get a little crazy in that setting. Could a core of Jennings-Gordon-Smith-Anderson-Drummond with Singler and Caldwell-Pope off the bench compete in the East? If healthy, I say yes.
For New Orleans, pairing Monroe with Anthony Davis would be a perfect match. For Monroe to be at his best, he needs to be next to a guy who can protect the rim defensively and draw his man out of the paint offensively. Davis supplies that, and at the same time, Monroe could take the bulkier assignments and carve out space in the paint for Davis to thrive.
The big-to-big passing here would be incredible, and building around two twin towers up front would be awfully appealing. The Pelicans would also shed about $8 million in future salary thanks to the expiring deals of Stuckey and Villanueva, which could lead to another big addition in free agency.
Portland Trail Blazers
If Portland's core fails to reach the playoffs once again, perhaps changing up the core would be considered. Because LaMarcus Aldridge is a threat to bolt for free agency after next year, it might be wise for the Blazers to attempt to lock up a franchise big man now.
Monroe would certainly come at a heavy cost, but if for some reason this core isn't good enough to make the playoffs, what's the point of keeping it together?
In this deal, the Portland Trail Blazers would send Nicolas Batum, Joel Freeland and Allen Crabbe to Detroit for Greg Monroe, Kyle Singler and Rodney Stuckey's expiring deal.
Rocky Widner/Getty Images
For Detroit, adding an incredibly well-rounded young wing like Batum to Smith andDrummond in the frontcourt would be lethal on both ends. Batum isn't a top-option offensively, but he's an accomplished shooter and an improved playmaker that would fit wonderfully.
With Batum, the Pistons could really be a handful in transition and great at protecting the rim with weak-side help.
For Portland, this deal probably only makes sense if Aldridge looks primed to leave. While Aldridge and Monroe could work together offensively really well, there would be defensive issues at play that would be only further complicated by losing Batum.
Trading Aldridge might be an easier option, but if Batum was the ticket to a potential building block like Monroe, it might be hard to pass up.
San Antonio Spurs
A smart, passing big man who can gobble up boards and operate out of the high post? Where does Gregg Popovich sign up?
The Spurs could very quietly have plenty of cap room next offseason, particularly if Tim Duncan retires or takes less money in a new deal. Finding a replacement for Duncan is almost impossible, but it's not hard to envision Monroe having success in San Antonio's offense in a similar role.
In this trade, San Antonio would send Danny Green and a second-round pick to Detroit for Greg Monroe.
Sam Forencich/Getty Images
For Detroit, it might not look like a great haul. Green doesn't provide "name" value, but he's probably the league's best 3 and D player. When you consider Green's top-10 shooting guard status and incredibly cheap contract that runs through next year, it starts to make more sense.
If the goal of trading Monroe is to get better floor spacing and more shooting in the lineup, Green more than accomplishes that.
Would San Antonio trade away Green after his incredible postseason last year, especially given the lack of wing depth on the roster? They might think about it, but pairing Monroe with Leonard and Parker for the future could be a special combination that's too good to pass up.
Predictions
Detroit should be able to nab one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, which would probably make a deal during the year for Monroe very unlikely. A sign-and-trade deal would make more sense, barring a great offer coming Detroit's way.
Should the Pistons trade Greg Monroe?
While I do believe there's a strong chance that Monroe will be in a different uniform next year, I wouldn't write off the possibility of Smith, Monroe and Drummond figuring out how to make it work. Smith and Monroe are both wonderful passers, and there are ways to create space through smart design, much in the way the Memphis Grizzlies do.
This will be a year of experimentation for Detroit, but if it doesn't work out, it's pretty easy to identify who the odd man out will likely be.
I dont know about Gordon because he can't stay healthy. But Ryan Anderson shooting jumpers with Jennings and drum on the pick and roll with josh on the block
But if they want him there gonna have to give up something. Cause the pistons have the roomto resign Monroe if they have to.
I dont know about Gordon because he can't stay healthy. But Ryan Anderson shooting jumpers with Jennings and drum on the pick and roll with josh on the block
If Dumars woulda got fired they coulda did that. But Dumars need to win to keep his job.i predicted this shyt was gone happen
why the hell did we sign Smith anyway?
they shoulda just let the youngins ball this year
They need a player that's ready to contribute. Too much already invested for a hope in the lottery. They already got kcp as a young wing that needs to develop.
Anybody think the Wizards would trade Bradley Beal straight up for Greg Monroe?? Good trade for both sides and Monroe would be back in the DC area...
i like this trade
