Greg Monroe rumors: Denver Nuggets interested?

As free agency opened back in July, Detroit Pistons’ free agent big man Greg Monroe was one of the top players on the market. As free agency is winding down and just about every free agent has found a home, Monroe remains one of the top players on the market (as does Phoenix Suns’ guard Eric Bledsoe).

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Monroe reportedly turned down a five-year, $60 million deal and has now apparently turned down another deal that would make him the highest-paid Pistons played (forward Josh Smith, who makes $13.5 million per season is currently the highest-paid). That has led to speculation he could be dealt in a sign-and-trade and many have speculated the Nuggets could deal young power forward Kenneth Faried to get their hands on Monroe.

Joel Brigham does not believe a deal between the Nuggets and Pistons involving Monroe will go down.

"I doubt it. The reality is that Monroe thinks he’s a power forward, so I don’t think he’d go to a place where he’d have to play center. I’m sure playing alongside Faried would be fun, but Andre Drummond is a better complement to him, mostly because he does play center. Detroit knows they’d rather have him than Josh Smith as their starting power forward, but A.) they’re having a hard time dumping off one of the worst contracts in basketball, and B.) they’re not going to bid against themselves in terms of a new contract for the restricted free agent."

Monroe put up 15.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 65.7% from the free throw line last season. Faried averaged 13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 54.5% from the field and 65.0% from the free throw line.

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