The saga of Greg Monroe continues. Is he staying or is he going? The Detroit Pistons are having a hard time answering that question. There is certainly interest surrounding Monroe, but are the Pistons ready to let him go just yet? It is no secret that he did not function well on the court with Josh Smith, leaving new head coach Stan Van Gundy to sort through his options. If a sign-and-trade for Monroe fails, is it Smith that pays the price?
Things are quiet around Monroe right now. He is a restricted free agent and many believed he would be traded by now with how much interest surrounded him during the mid-season deadline. However, with the Pistons still not committing to a decision yet, teams are looking elsewhere for players instead of to the Pistons. According to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders, Detroit is trying to put together a sign-and-trade with Monroe that will send the center anywhere, literally anywhere.
Monroe has reportedly requested a trade. The center is unhappy with the presence of Smith and has been ever since Detroit signed him in free agency last year. They did not function on the court or in the locker room. Smith's contract makes him hard to move, so whether Detroit likes it or not, Monroe is the player that likely has to go. The question is what team will take him on.
The Houston Rockets could be an option, but likely not at the price Monroe wants. The team was trying to be contenders for Chris Bosh, but he re-signed with the Miami Heat leaving Houston to sign Trevor Ariza instead. Getting Monroe would still be a strong option to place on the court with Dwight Howard. He is a young player the team can help develop for the future. The Los Angeles Lakers could also be in play for Monroe pending all their other moves failed. So far Los Angeles has missed out on just about everyone so they need to make one splash this offseason.
Detroit missed a big opportunity to trade Monroe during last season. The Washington Wizards wanted a deal that was ultimately refused, leaving the Pistons in the spot they are now. The end result could be Monroe signing the one-year qualifying offer and then hitting the market in 2015. However, would this signify the end of Smith's time in the Motor City? This saga is far from over.
