Greg Monroe rumors: Long-term deal with Pistons or another team possible?
By Bryan Rose
The back-and-forth between the Detroit Pistons and restricted free agent Greg Monroe seemingly came to an end when the former Georgetown product suggested he was likely to accept the one-year qualifying offer.
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Doing such wouldn’t be completely unheard of, though it is extremely questionable. Yes, the qualifying offer would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent at season end though an injury could derail his hope for a large contract and he’d lose his Bird Rights if he were to sign outside of Motown.
That said, the threat of signing the qualifying offer is real and that’s likely why it was suggested as an option to the Pistons. Was it in effort to have Detroit up their offer to Greg Monroe or possibly be more open to a sign-and-trade scenario?
It certainly could be taken that way, especially since Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors believes Greg Monroe is still looking to sign a long-term contract, either with the Pistons or another team via a sign-and-trade.
"I still think he’ll (Greg Monr0e) sign a long-term deal, either with the Pistons or as part of a sign-and-trade. And if he does so with the Pistons, I suspect they’ll try to move him at the deadline."
If the Pistons and Monroe aren’t able to agree on a new deal before October 1st (a deadline which Detroit can extend), the big man will be ‘forced’ to sign the one-year qualifying offer which comes with a full no-trade clause. Understandably that isn’t something the Pistons would be overly excited with, so you have to think there will be some motivation to get something done in the coming weeks.