Greg Monroe had a disappointing first season with the Milwaukee Bucks and now he finds himself preparing for an inevitable trade before training camp starts. According to the latest rumors, the New Orleans Pelicans could be the team that acquires Monroe from the Bucks.
In the latest Lowe Post podcast on ESPN, Zach Lowe mentioned that Milwaukee is still trying to find a taker for Monroe. He noted that the Pelicans and Bucks have been in contact throughout the offseason and could make the deal sooner than later.
"The Bucks are still looking to find a taker for Greg Monroe and it sounds like they've spoken to the Pelicans about him this offseason. I think [the Bucks] got closer than maybe has been reported with New Orleans during either the draft or free agency," Lowe said.
Marc Stein, who was the guest on the podcast, thinks that Monroe will end up in New Orleans because he was born and raised in the city. The 26-year-old was a high school star in Harvey, Louisiana before playing for Georgetown in college.
According to SB Nation's BrewHoop, the Bucks and Pelicans have discussed a possible Monroe deal back at the February trade deadline. The move makes sense for both teams since Milwaukee will get rid of Monroe while New Orleans gets a player who can help Anthony Davis in the paint.
It is suggested that the deal could involve the Bucks sending Monroe and Michael Carter-Williams to the Pelicans for Jrue Holiday and Omer Asik. However, Milwaukee might not make the trade since they cannot retain Holiday if he becomes a free agent.
On the other hand, both teams could explore a different deal with Monroe getting traded for Tyreke Evans, Alexis Ajinca and protected first-round pick. It will be another fair deal for both teams since Evans and Ajinca could be good backups for the Bucks.
However, it should be noted that the Bucks cannot get a good deal for Monroe since he has been on the trading block for a very long time. His value at the moment is very difficult to predict but he averaged 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season.
Check out the video below for Monroe's first game as part of the Bucks last season.