So is Ainge going to possibly try to go after Greg Monroe?

[Kane3387]

No. He's not.

[Asher77]

I think Monroe will prove to be a 20-10 center through his prime. Drummond effected his inside game as Monroe is a better passer and was asked to play away from the basket more often in there offensive and defensive sets. His field goal percentage dropped after his second year due to the frequency he controlled the ball in high post situations and less on inside post ups or put back situations. Drummond was allowed to stay under the basket more often in sets and cleaned up the boards.

Monroe will be a viable 2nd-3rd option player and I would be happy if we could sign him long term in the 13-16M range. I would give up the clips or philly pick and a player like bass or green with Bogans in S&T.

[dmopower]

All of these people wanting to wait for a better center.  How many capable 20 10 centers come along?  How many were there last year?  If we could convince Monroe to play for 13 mil on a sign and trade, we should jump all over it.  He is worth that for sure.  Center problem solved for a decade.  If we get close a rim protector can be traded for or signed. 

[Sketch5]

No. He's not.

I bet he has, just didn't like what Monroe wanted and what Detroit wanted to get the S&T done. He made a lot of phone calls opening day, would be surprised if this was one of them.

Also with Love all but off the market, things may change were he wants to spend the money.

[chambers]

Guys, guys, guys! There's no rush to go out and grab the best available big man right now. It's tempting because we've had such a gaping hole there for so long- but we MUST be patient and wait for the best option.
Monroe turned down a 12 million x 4 year deal (correct me if I'm wrong), so nabbing him is going cost at least that. Given the current market for him, NBA execs aren't exactly beating each other up to get him.
Now given Detroit's disaster zone since he joined them, he could be a case of buy low diamond asset, but as a 'buy low' candidate are we really getting that much of a great deal at 12-13 million a year when his max is something like 15-16 million?

Monroe is a decent offensive player with a lack of defensive prowess. You could coach him into a decent defender but he must guard centers because of his lack of lateral quickness.
Signing him to a 50 million+ deal as we are just waiting for all this cap room to free up in 2015 is just not a smart move.
He makes us 5-10 wins better than our current roster, but it's too risky to blow the freedom we'll have at the end of this season. I'd also dare say it hurts our chances of re-signing Rondo by signing a guy like Monroe vs not signing him because he's another role player (like an elite version of Green and Bass as role players) and he'll just keep us stuck in no man's land.

Danny is already going to have his work cut out in trying to move our mediocre guys like Green and Bass, but once he does move them, he'll be able to realistically start working on which free agents they can target over the next summer or two after re-signing Rondo, signing Monroe because he was available at the time just doesn't fit in with that plan of clearing house.

Now that Love isn't walking through that door, we need to keep our flexibility at 100% while we wait for the next opportunity to pounce.
Zeller could arguably become a 15/9 player with 32 minutes a game, whilst also becoming a superior defender to Monroe. Zeller's per 36 numbers in Cleveland in that terrible locker room with that terrible coach were 13.7 points and 9.7 rebounds at 54% FG, compared to Monroe's 17.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per 36 in Detroit in 2012. Monroe's numbers last season per 36 were 16.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 49% FG. Yes Monroe was in a crap situation last season but so was Zeller.
It's not a stretch to think Zeller's a season away with some good playing time and a nice point guard+coach from breaking the 16/10 barrier either.

At this stage of our rebuild, Monroe is not that guy. Difficult to trade, takes up a massive amount of cap room for the return on investment at a time where we want cheap potential, expiring mediocre talent, or top 20 NBA player talent- nothing in between.

[Asher77]

It all comes down to an analysis of Monroe and his game. To sign a player whom you feel comfortable will contribute at the level of his salary is always a good move provided it is done in context to the other available options. Should Monroe contribute above average stats per players in his salary bracket he will have a home on our team or another team if we no longer wish his services. Signing him this year, were he to have a career year with us ( and a 24 year old whom has proven at an early developmental age to be solid and consistent should improve his game into his prime years ) he will be a trade asset and we would have no problem trading him for exp contracts and additional considerations. This would allow us easily to change direction and target a FA option and only help facility a superstar via trade.

It is also beneficial to us from the standpoint of maximizing our young potential. These guys need to get paid if they develop so it behooves a team to maximize players on rookie salaries when the chance is available. It is also a benefit to have a player such a Zeller backup a guy like Monroe and maybe this allows us to resign Zeller when his rookie deal expires at say 8M per year and not at 13M had he started and been the lead guy on a bad team but put up numbers. In the later case there is always a team out there to outbid you and rightfully so. You want to build a team and retain that talent while having the guys grow together. Too many teams chase stats and roll over the roster in search for a superstar. Keep guys loyal and keep who you can, have a team of top talent all putting up  just below All Star stats and being paid in equal level so as to have a happy winning group. This is of course a fantasy.