Recent trade rumors have emerged that Milwaukee center Greg Monroe could be snagged by the New York Knicks before the trade deadline this week as the Bucks are allegedly trying to shop him during this trade season.
Daily Knicks noted that Monroe playing in New York was virtually a "done deal" last summer as he was expected to sign with the Big Apple franchise for the long-term from the Detroit Pistons. However, he instead chose a small market team, the Milwaukee Bucks, over the Phil Jackson-led club and the rest is just a so far 52-game, seven-month history with the Brew City squad.
Reports were out that Monroe has not performed to management's expectations when they signed him to a three-year, $51.4 million contract in July of last year.
Team officials and coaching staff certainly did not expect him to be the squad's defensive anchor in the middle as it was one weakness in the former Georgetown standout's game, but they also did not anticipate that the team would be so lost in that end of the floor with him around.
Monroe is currently producing career-high numbers on points and a slightly higher rebounding average overall with 16.7 points and 9.7 boards per game with a high field goal shooting clip of 52.1 percent, but the Bucks has been mediocre on defense with him patrolling inside the paint, to say the least.
The result: the team is struggling at the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a 22-32 slate. Only the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are worse with 14-40 and 8-45 records.
If the asking price for Monroe is realistic, then expect Jackson to make another run at the young center he coveted last summer this time around.
However, Fansided reported that Milwaukee "probably won't move" Monroe before the deadline as the team is said to be not giving up on the 25-year-old after only "less than a year" of playing for them.
Monroe definitely as a lot of reported suitors aside from New York, such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, but he remains to be an "inside scoring force" that Milwaukee will not be able to easily replace.
Head coach Jason Kidd must be able to properly utilize his talented wing defenders, like Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton, to offset Monroe's shortcomings on defense.