Now if we really think Monroe can play center all season. I mean Rondo for Monroe a prospect and or a pick, I would consider.
I agree with this, but there's an alternative here that many don't want to consider: Josh Smith.
I think that we are good trade partners with Detroit.
Detroit WILL NOT keep both Monroe AND Smith. That would be over $25 million tied up in one position. Smith/Monroe/Drummond does not work as was evidenced last year. There are thwo potential solutions here:
1. We can get Smith for a lot fewer assets than Monroe. I think that we could even dump Wallace's contract on Detroit and get Josh Smith. All this Van Gundy crap of wanting Smith around is a bunch of posturing crap. They would give him away if they could, and then they can pay Drummond. Having Wallace instead of Smith would save them over $20 million over the next 3 years.
Green/Wallace for Smith and filler works. That will leave us shorthanded at the 3, unless Turner can step right in, and further jams up the 4, but Smith becomes our rim protector. I think that a Zeller/KO/Sully/JSmith frontcourt is both versatile and impressive in relation to what we have know. Bass has to go, maybe even to Detroit as a backup to Monroe, with more filler coming back from Detroit to make the numbers work.
2. If Detroit decides to keep Smith, Rondo and either Bass for Monroe, Jennings and Pope should work for both sides. We're giving up the best player in the trade who gets to play with his buddy Josh and Detroit solves their frontcourt problem with Smith moving to his natural position, the 4, with Pope becoming the sweetener for us giving up the best player and swallowing Jennings. Bass is a veteran presence in a Detroit team prepared to play now.
Jennings/Smart/Pressey
Bradley/Pope/Young/Thornton
Turner/Wallace/Young
Sully/KO
Monroe/Zeller/Fav
Very young team with a pretty bright future.