The Detroit Pistons have Greg Monroe as a trade target heading into the deadline this season and teams like the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns, LA Lakers and Miami Heat could be interested, as the Pistons are going nowhere and after Josh Smith was let go, Stan Van Gundy could look at some major changes to the roster.
The Pistons lost Brandon Jennings to a season ending injury and that is a trade chip they can't use and that could motivate the team to move Monroe. According to ESPN.com, the Pistons are asking teams for a first round pick for Monroe and that likely is too much, as teams know that he is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Marc Stein at ESPN.com writes that the Rockets could be interested in making a move with Dwight Howard out a month, while Miami is also looking for a big man.
Brook Lopez is on the trade market and could be an option for those teams if Monroe is not dealt, but right now the Nets are holding onto him. Monroe bet on himself this season after signing the one year qualifying offer after being a restricted free agent and so far that has paid off, as he is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per game this season. Monroe is setting himself up for a nice contract and a team looking to sign him may trade for him to ensure that he stays there, which was the thinking behind the Mavs deal for Rajon Rondo.
The Rockets are an interesting option, as they are going to be without Howard for a month with a knee issue and he hasn't played since mid-January. James Harden has played well, but he needs more support and with the west as good as it is the Rockets can't afford to slip back too much in the standings. The Lakers and Knicks could be options in free agency, but they won't make the deal now, while the Chicago Bulls could be interested after dealing with injuries this season. Monroe will be a target for teams, but he likely will stay with the Pistons.
While teams like the Lakers and Knicks are out of things, they could look at trading for Monroe ahead of free agency to ensure that they keep him moving forward. While those deals are unlikely, ESPN.com reports that the Lakers have checked in on both Monroe and Jennings and could continue working things out on the phones into February. Monroe said earlier in the season that he is not asking for a trade, as he would like to keep his Bird rights and he also has not ruled out a return to Detroit in free agency.
Monroe is one of the top young bigs in the league and Stan Van Gundy ideally wants to build around him and Andre Drummond moving forward, especially now that Josh Smith has been waived. The Pistons are still on the hook for Smith's contract and that could cause some trouble when Monroe needs to sign, but the team is planning on trying to keep him as a free agent if they can.
