Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe. (Photo : Getty Images)
The NBA trade rumors continue and one of the names that is still on the block is the Milaukee Bucks' center Greg Monroe.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, Monroe, along with Rudy Gay, are two trade prospects still in the market.
"Greg Monroe and Rudy Gay, league sources say, continue to be two of the NBA's most prominent proven vets known to be available via trade. In the wake of Milwaukee's re-signing of Miles Plumlee, league sources say that Bucks center Greg Monroe remains available via trade."
Monroe was the Milwaukee Bucks' big free agent signing last season but he did not seem to fit well with Coach Jason Kidd's system. While he is still a prime talent on the post and can consistently deliver the points and rebounds, it is his defensive shortcomings that have prompted the Bucks to look around.
Apparently, one team has taken interest in Monroe and it is rather surprising. The San Antonio Spurs have placed the Bucks center on their radar, as reported by Sam Amico of Amico Hoops.
"League sources have told Amico Hoops the Spurs have an interest in pursuing Monroe, provided they could find a third team to make a deal work," Amico wrote.
It is quite a surprise that the Spurs would pursue Greg Monroe since they recently signed Pau Gasol. It is assumed that the Spurs would have to trade pieces that do not fit the need of the Milwaukee Bucks, or that the Bucks are looking for future draft picks.
The Spurs may have to trade players like Danny Green or Cory Joseph to take Monroe and that is probably the point of the three-way trade that Amico has hinted.
The Philadelphia 76ers are always a haven for guards and they could take Danny Green off the Spurs hands and send out second round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks in return.
While the Spurs did lose Tim Duncan to retirement, Boris Diaw through a trade and Boban Marjanovic to free agentcy, with Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge, Monroe is most likely coming off the bench for San Antonio. It is intriguing why the Spurs could trade actual rotation players to acquire a center that they will probably not start.
