Greg Monroe (Photo : Getty Images)
The Washington Wizards could explore trading for Greg Monroe as the team continues to find a solution to their bench problems.
The Wizards are becoming less likely to contend in the playoffs, with the team sitting at the bottom half of the Eastern Conference power rankings. One of the contributing factors to the team's early season struggles is the poor display of Washington's second unit, which according to Wizards center Marcin Gortat himself, "one of the worst benches in the league."
The Wizards' bench is struggling on the offensive end, and as bad as they could get on defense. Their bench is only averaging 23.4 points a game, the lowest total in the league, and has a league-worst net rating differential of -12.6. They are also sitting dead-last in the league in defensive rating with 109.5 points per game.
Ian Mahinmi, one of the Wizards' summer additions, was supposed to shore up the team's defense, but the 30-year-old center has failed to stay healthy this season, only playing one regular season game for Washington, so far.
If the Wizards would want to mix up things and still contend in the East, Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe could be a potential trade target, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
"I will throw one potential destination out there: What about Washington? As we just talked about, this is a team that is struggling and may be looking to mix things up," Kennedy wrote.
"Also, it's worth noting that the Wizards' front office expressed interest in trading for Monroe several times when he was with the Detroit Pistons, so they have liked him for awhile. I have no idea what they currently think of him, but they're looking for change and they have trade assets, so it's worth throwing out there."
There are reasons to believe the Bucks could move Monroe before the February deadline. The 26-year-old remains an awkward fit to Milwaukee's youth movement, although Monroe has proven he is capable of contributing on the offensive end.
Monroe's playing time has also dropped significantly, only averaging a career-low 18.4 minutes a game. From joining the Bucks last season as an established starting center, Monroe has become a second stringer in Jason Kidd's rotation.
But given enough time on the court, Monroe could certainly help the Wizards' bench in terms of scoring and rebounding. Monroe isn't known for his game on the defensive end, but his defense has been surprisingly good for the Bucks this season.
The Bucks have attempted to move Monroe during the offseason, and it could still be the team's plan, with Monroe likely to explore free agency next summer. Whether the Wizards would consider Monroe remains to be seen, but it is a deal worth exploring if Washington wants to add bench depth.
Video courtesy: YouTube/FreeDawkins
