Would Greg Monroe Be A Good Fit In Atlanta’s Front Court?

In the chance that the Atlanta Hawks let Paul Millsap walk in free agency, Coach Bud’s team needs to find an adequate replacement down low should Atlanta wish to make another deep playoff run in 2016.  If Marc Gasol stays in Memphis or LaMarcus Aldridge leaves the Rose City for the Alamo, would Detroit Pistons PF/C Greg Monroe be a good fit for Atlanta’s front court?

Greg Monroe has spent his first five NBA seasons in Motown, averaging 14.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for the Pistons.  The former Georgetown Hoya has been on the verge of a breakout season for at least the last two years.  But the Pistons frontcourt logjam of Monroe, C André Drummond, and SF/PF Josh Smith, now with the Houston Rockets, led to a highly inefficient and difficult form of basketball to watch.  It got so bad in Detroit that GM/HC Stan Van Gundy had to release Smith and eat a massive contract to ease the frustration.

Monroe is 6’11” and can play both the four and the five.  He shoots 50% from the floor with no outside game, as Monroe has never made a 3-point field goal in the NBA.  His free throw shooting was respectable in 2014-15 at a .750 clip.  He also forces many turnovers on defense as well as providing a solid defensive rebounding game (2.2 TOPG, 6.9 DRPG in 2014-15).  Overall, Greg Monroe is a better than average big man on both ends of the floor going into free agency this summer.  Signing Monroe could give Atlanta a lot of bang for its buck.

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The big man from New Orleans, Louisiana would ideally play center with Al Horford sliding down to power forward.  Though Monroe has not been the primary rim protector for the Pistons these last two seasons because of André Drummond, Greg has the defensive prowess to challenge the opposition in the low post.  By singing Monroe, Atlanta could play bigger and collect more rebounds while still being able to get points in the paint.

The rumblings of a Millsap-Monroe sign-and-trade oddly make sense for both the Hawks and the Pistons.  Atlanta needs to get bigger and Detroit needs to spread the floor a little more.  Monroe would not cost Atlanta as much as Millsap and nowhere near as much as what Gasol or Aldridge would command.  I also want to mention you can never have too many Moose on a team.  Yes, moose is the correct plural form of moose.  Like PF/C Mike Muscala, Monroe’s nickname is also Moose.  Playing a two-Moose front court would be amazing.  The Hawks Team Store might then have to sell Moose Antlers, no joke.

The more I think about Greg Monroe, the more I think he would fit in nicely with Atlanta.  Playing for Coach Bud and alongside Horford could lead Moose to having an All-Star caliber year in Atlanta.  While he won’t spread the floor, the Hawks will get a double-double just about every night with Monroe on the floor.  If we can’t keep Millsap, I want to see the two-Moose front court as part of Bud’s new rotation.