Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe. (Photo : Getty Images)
Recent NBA rumors are out that the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans are targeting out-of-place center Greg Monroe this summer as the Milwaukee Bucks allegedly placed him on the trading block.
Chat Sports indicated that the Kings are keen on finally making the playoffs next year after 10 seasons of drought and one of their goals is to find a suitable center that could start alongside DeMarcus Cousins.
The report noted that new Sacramento Kings head coach Dave Joerger wants to explore Cousins playing the power forward position next season after being in the team's center spot throughout the two-time All-Star's six-year career.
With the improvement of Cousins' outside game last season, particularly beyond the arc as he registered a career-high 33.3 percent three-point field goal shooting in 2015-2016, Joerger is said to be intending to use him more as a stretch four moving forward.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans are also rumored to still be in the hunt for Monroe this offseason as they continue to wish an Anthony Davis-Monroe combination in the paint for New Orleans, as per Fansided.
New Orleans said to have "explored" that partnership before and the team is looking to rekindle it now as speculations have emerged that the Bucks are ready to move on from the former Georgetown standout after only a season with them.
However, the question is what the Pelicans could give in return to get Milwaukee's approval of letting Monroe go. Head coach Alvin Gentry's squad virtually has nothing to offer besides Davis or perhaps Omer Asik, but then again the Bucks may just want to unload Monroe so badly that they could accept anything decent from any team.
Monroe did not actually put bad numbers last season, his first one in Milwaukee after he rejected the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers during last summer's free-agency to sign a three-year, $51.4 million deal with the Bucks.
He averaged 15.3 points, 8.8. rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 2015-2016, more or less his career averages actually, but one factor is clear that made Milwaukee want to trade him this summer: he does not fit the team's style of play especially in the defensive end.
Monroe was never known as a rim stopper or shot blocker all throughout his career. He was a liability on defense with the Bucks and so the team failed to qualify for back-to-back playoffs appearances last season.
