The New York Knicks is now a team to watch next season and they are still a staple of NBA trade rumors.
They have a very interesting lineup but there are a lot of question marks, particularly with injuries. That has been synonymous with Derrick Rose and lately, even with Joakim Noah. As Matt Moore of CBS noted, the Knicks roster seems "temporary" so the door should not be closed on Monroe.
"However, everything with the Knicks seems to be very temporary. Derrick Rose's contract expires after this season. If this combination gets off to a bad start and just doesn't work, wouldn't Monroe be a good way to pivot toward an alternative?"
Moore toyed with the idea of a Monroe for Noah swap, seeing as the Bucks could benefit from Noah's veteran presence.
"The idea of Monroe on a four-year deal may seem scary, but no more so than a deteriorating Noah with three more years at that price. Meanwhile, Milwaukee needs the veteran presence that Noah provides. A Noah-for-Monroe deal couldn't be done until later in the season due to Noah signing this summer, but if this situation drags on, Monroe maintains a good fit in the triangle, even with his passing reticence."
But it's unlikely that the Knicks would move on from Noah unless the Knicks' season has a disastrous start. There could be arrangements for the Knicks to acquire Monroe without Noah in return, but it must also be at the deadline.
In a piece by All About Knicks, they establish the need for Monroe, especially for the second unit which would be short on offense. "The Knicks need a reliable scorer off the bench, getting Monroe would give them that. Right now they are relying on Brandon Jennings to carry the second unit's offense. Similar to the Bucks, he would be asked to come in and score off the bench."
Noah is a limited offensive player and Monroe adds a whiff of insurance. If the Bucks still struggle defensively and decide that they want to move Monroe without being too insistent on the return, the pieces that the Knicks need to send would be a mix of Kyle O'Quinn, Lance Thomas and Derrick Williams.
It's possible that this is already a "fallback option" for the Knicks. Despite the confidence they exude (with Rose calling them a superteam), the front office must have a contingency plan and Monroe would fit the bill.