Greg Monroe and Derrick Favors (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors and Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe could find new homes before the season starts.
Favors and Monroe are among the few big men in the league who could be donning a different jersey before the season starts, according to Nick Brown of 12UP.
Favors is entering the final two seasons of his contract with the Jazz, and with the team also looking to retain other soon-to-be free agents like Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert, it would be difficult for Utah to keep hold of the 25-year-old forward.
On the other hand, Monroe, who signed a three-year $50 million deal with the Bucks last summer, is also approaching the final two seasons of his contract. Despite averaging 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the Bucks last season, Monroe struggled to fit in Milwaukee's schemes, making him a top candidate to get traded in the foreseeable future.
It remains to be seen whether the Jazz and Bucks would trade Favors and Monroe, respectively, but there should be plenty of teams interested in acquiring quality big men. But in Brown's trade scenario, the team that would likely acquire Favors is the Washington Wizards, while Monroe is touted to join the Chicago Bulls before the 2016-2017 regular season begins.
Favors, who averaged 16.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest last season, would provide the Wizards a talented young big man who can score and defend inside the paint. While the Wizards are already loaded with frontcourt pieces, adding Favors gives the team depth at the four spot.
"The Utah Jazz have a very talented young big man in Derrick Favors. The problem is, he's entering the final two seasons of his contract, and the Jazz might not have the power to keep him in 2018. They could get a serious return from the Wizards, who are playing with a win-now mentality," Brown wrote.
In a deal that works on ESPN's trade machine, the Jazz could send Favors to the Wizards for Marcus Morris and Otto Porter Jr.
Adding Morris would give the Jazz a stretch four to help space the floor, while taking in Porter's expiring contract helps Utah to have more flexibility to retain the likes of Gordon and Gobert next summer. Although it is unlikely the Wizards would give up such assets for Favors, it is still a deal worth exploring for both teams.
Meanwhile, the Bulls need someone to fill the void left by Pau Gasol, and Monroe seems to fit the mold. Monroe's back-to-the-basket game would work wonders for the Bulls offensively, especially with Rajon Rondo manning the playmaking duties. Monroe's defense would certainly be an issue, but his offensive prowess could make up for any of his deficiency on the defensive end.
However, the Bulls, should they be interested in acquiring Monroe, do not have much to offer the Bucks a quality return unless Chicago includes Jimmy Butler in a potential package. A straight swap of Monroe for Butler would be approved by ESPN's trade machine, but it is farfetched to see the Bulls giving up their two-time All-Star to a one-way center.
