Greg Monroe (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Bucks could trade center Greg Monroe to make room for a potential signing of star free agent Dwyane Wade.
Wade's contact situation with the Miami Heat is not going well, with the three-time NBA champs reportedly upset with the team's initial offer. The Heat have already secured Hassan Whiteside and are likely making some more room for a potential Kevin Durant signing, which leaves Wade the unexpected odd man out of Miami this summer.
While Wade has been left out with very few choices after most of the teams already spent their cash on other free agents, there are still two teams willing to make amends to make room for D-Wade.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Bucks are one of the two rivals linked in signing Wade, with Milwaukee reportedly set for a free-agent recruiting meeting scheduled next week once the shooting guard is done with his European vacation. While the Bucks do not have the cap space to sign Wade, Stein claimed the team could move Monroe to make room for a potential signing.
Monroe has never been a fit with the Bucks despite averaging 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season. Monroe was supposed to be the Bucks' best player heading into the 2015-2016 season, but his traditional big type of skills do not suit well to his frontcourt mates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker.
But despite becoming a straw man in his first season with the Bucks, Monroe would still be a huge addition to any teams looking to bolster their frontcourt, especially teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, who missed out on quality big men in the market.
The Lakers were able to sign Timofey Mozgov to a four-year $64 million contract, but it hardly makes sense for a team wishing to win now to bank their hopes becoming a contender at the towering Russian. Adding Monroe would give the Lakers a big man who can score, someone they lack during the past few seasons. LA also has ample of cap space left, which means they could absorb Monroe's remaining contract in his three-year $51.4 million pact with the Bucks.
With the Lakers rumored to be trading Nick Young, this scenario would make a perfect deal for both teams. Despite a poor stint with the Lakers last season, averaging a career-low 7.3 points on 33.9 percent shooting from the field, Young would answer the Bucks' need of an outside shooter as well as a scorer off the bench.
It remains to be seen whether the Bucks would truly consider trading Monroe, especially for a 31-year-old shooting guard who has regressed his role to a bench warmer. But if the Bucks deem they have a legitimate chance to lure Wade to Milwaukee, there is a chance such deal could happen.
