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Your Afternoon Dump..Where Rumor Has It Monroe Is Considering Boston

KWAPT (@KWAPT) June 14, 2015 The Morning Dump 12 Comments

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Free agent Greg Monroe could be leaning toward the Boston Celtics or New York Knicks, according to Gery Woeflel of the Racine Journal Times.

Though the free agency period does not start until July, Woelfel reported this weekendthat “there is strong speculation” Monroe will sign with one of those two teams. The big man could leave the Detroit Pistons after they acquired Ersan Ilyasova — a more obvious fit alongside young center Andre Drummond.

Boston Celtics Rumors 2015-Jay King

Despite the fact that teams can’t start negotiating/signing free agents until July, the NBA rumors continue to swirl in the month of June. This latest one involves Pistons big man Greg Monroe. If Danny Ainge has his sights set on Monroe, he better be ready to open up his check book. Monroe is coming off a career year in rebounds (10.2 rpg) and also averaged 15.9 ppg. Word is that Monroe is seeking a max deal. Skilled bigs are always a hot commodity, and guys like Monroe, Lamarcus Aldridge and Sacramento’s Demarcus Cousins will be on the radar of many of the leagues’ GMs. Monroe missed 13 games last year with a right knee strain, but has been healthy for most of his 5 years in the league.

King also mentions that with Detroit’s recent acquisition of Ersan Ilyasova, they may be more apt to let Monroe go. Reason being, Detroit already has a comparable big in Andre Drummond, and Drummond & Ilyasova may just be a perfect pairing. The question Ainge has to ask himself is does Boston want to blow it’s proverbial wad on a guy who is far from a defensive force in the paint? Especially with guys like Aldridge, Cousins and LA’s DA Jordan also hitting the market. We’ll begin to get a clearer picture come July 1st.

On Page 2, Doc still feels strong bond with Boston

I have a funny feeling not all Celtics fans feel that same “bond” with ex-head coach Doc Rivers, but I absolutely love one of the quotes from his interview with the Globe:

“It’s more because of the Celtics and more because of Red Auerbach,” Rivers said. “When you’re a Celtic, you become a Celtic, you stay a Celtic no matter where you’re at, and you always want them to do well. That’s what stood out for me there. When we won it, looking at Tommy Heinsohn almost in tears because we won, I thought was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I’ll never forget that and that will always be a part of me, so yeah, I want them to do great. Probably two games, I don’t. It is nice being in the West than in the East, then you can cheer for them a little bit more.”

Tommy is just one of the many Celtics legends that it’s so awesome to have around the organization. And Doc’s statement is so true-“you stay a Celtic no matter where you’re at“.

The rest of the links:

Herald: Sunday Basketball Notes

CSNNE: Anyone We Missed?

Inside Bay Area: Warriors Have Pieces In Place

Richard Jensen

Greg Monroe is worth a pre-giant-TV-money max deal if he can play defense in a system. He doesn’t have to be a great individual defender. He just has to be willing to learn team defense concepts.

Also, I think it’s vital that Boston show some forward progress this season in order to be more attractive to FAs when the bonanza hits. With every team being able to offer a max deal, you’ll get a marquee player by differentiating your team. If Boston treads water this year, they look like everyone else coasting toward the big summer.
Justin Quinn

if my understanding of monroe’s under 6 year max, it’d only be 25% of the cap, leaving a full max and a second tier starter (rim protecting big?) or two (if we stretch/trade wallace/use TPEs well); if we use sully as ammo to trade up, this would make sense. in a lot of situs this could make sense. is it july yet?
- eddysamson
  
  No the point of getting Monroe is not to get a rim protecting big, unless that big plays the 4. Monroe’s defensive woes in Detroit come from him being a very large guy playing the 4 against smaller, quicker guys. If we get a 5 and make Monroe play the 4, we’ve wasted him, just like Detroit. Dude is a center.
  - Justin Quinn
    
    detroit wasted him by having him nearly duplicate drummond’s skill set (except blocks), and compounded his spacing during the smith era. he has shown he can play the 4 at an elite level, and can switch to the 5 when needed for matchups, which would be very useful. given we have no true center besides zeller, and bass is probably gone, he’d fit well.
  - Stimul8s
    
    Serge Ibaka is the perfect PF if you think about it.
zippittyay

Kostas Koufos or Greg Monroe?
Rod Shaftwell

Sometimes you have to overpay a guy that isn’t exactly what you want, so you can attract the guy who is exactly what you want.
adam

If he plays center I am ok (took a lot of reasoning to say this) with Monroe at a 15-16 million dollar Max deal (which I believe is what he can get) if he plays center. The dude isn’t quick enough to guard the 4.
- bill_nair
  
  All stats point to Monroe being far more impactful (on both ends) when playing the 5. I wouldnt mind bringing him in and building the front line around his scoring.
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