NBA Rumors: Pelicans, Pistons talk Greg Monroe sign-and-trade

A handful of teams are expected to show interest in restricted free agent Greg Monroe, one of which includes the New Orleans Pelicans.

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Looking for a offensively skilled big man to pair alongside Anthony Davis, Monroe has been a target of the Pelicans front office and they’ve apparently decided to get a head start on their opposition, engaging the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade scenario says Nola.com.

“While the Pelicans, with about $7 million in salary cap room, don’t appear to have enough cap space to sign Monroe, a source said the team has made some initial inquiries to the Pistons about the possibility of working out a sign-and-trade deal.”

So while we know the Pelicans made phone calls gauging the interest of the Pistons, what we don’t know is how far those talks went (assuming they went anyplace at all).

For what it’s worth, the Pistons have publicly stated a desire to keep Monroe in Motown, specifically head coach Stan Van Gundy though it’s difficult to tell just how serious those desires are considering that during the previous NBA trade deadline, there were multiple rumors from respected sources suggesting the Pistons were listening to trade offers on Monroe.

Likely to receive a near (or potential) max-deal, Monroe isn’t going to be a cheap commodity moving forward and if the Pistons don’t feel he’s worth such a contract, it may be in their best interest to move him in a sign-and-trade scenario, especially given how many teams are expected to put forth a bid.