Greg Monroe more than just a 10 day contract?

[Tactical unit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOuI7V36Qq8

I know the competition in the above link could be questioned but seeing how well Greg Monroe has played in two games for the Wolves he deserves a season long contract doesn't he?

He provides something different than N. Reid & N. Knight both of which I like but the depth in a Covid season seems like a great addition to the team.

Monroe has shown above average post game, passing, rebounding and provides length and strength. His athleticism is below average but he has a motor and seems to play within himself and looks comfortable despite just joining the team.

Welcome back to the league Greg Monroe!

[FNG]

I agree Monroe has looked good in his first two games. I have to admit I had forgotten about him until Cam mentioned him as a possible big to add. After reading that post, I watched some video of him overseas and in the G League and was surprised that he seemed in game shape at 31. And he's hit the ground running since joining us.

That said, Finch will have 4 games in the next 7 days to evaluate him and determine if it makes sense to sign him for the rest of the season. He would take minutes away from young bigs (Knight, Reid and Vando), so I suspect Finch's decision might be between win now and development. I've always liked Monroe, so personally I'd like to see him out there the rest of the season.

[rapsuperstar31]

If we can finagle staying under the luxury tax I would keep him here. He has looked pretty good in his two games, the young guys and even Towns could learn a thing or two from him dishing those dimes, and with covid and injuries we don't have a lot of depth at the c/pf spot. I like what we have seen, he is a keeper to me.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Good to hear from you Tactical. My answer to the question is "I don't know".

Not sure if anyone listened to the latest Dane Moore/Britt Robson podcast (those two are a great tandem), but they were strugging with the same topic about backup bigs. Here is a recap of their thoughts along with some of my own musings:

- Vando is not ideal next to KAT in half-court sets because his guy can lurk in the paint and muck things up for cutters and double KAT. However, the results are stunning. The guy is a key pillar in that starting 5-man unit and clearly the things he does well are outweighing his inability to space the floor.

- Naz Reid can't guard 4's and can be overpowered by bigger 5's. In other words, he's a mess defensively. So while he offers up a compelling set of offensive skills, his long-term spot in the rotation should be challenged IMO.

- Nathan Knight in theory may offer the best of both worlds. He has the size and strength to muck it up in the paint while also showing some perimeter passing, defensive, and shooting chops. The problem is we're dealing with a small sample size. He's very foul-proned and while his shot form looks confident, the results just aren't there when you look at his history.

- That brings us to Monroe. First, he's a pure 5 that should only play the 5. So the first question is whether he is an upgrade to Naz Reid? I think he is. While he probably can't get bunches of points in the way Naz can string together at times, he can facilitate an offense and perhaps help get others efficient shots with his passing and screeening. And defensively, he's more likely to hold his ground and get defensive rebounds. But what does that do to Naz's long term development and value as an asset? We need to keep the big picture in mind too.

And lastly, could Monroe play next to KAT for stretches, especially when we have the JoVals, Embiids, and Jokics of the world as our opponent.

[KiwiMatt]

I'd like to see Moose signed to end of the season with the vacant 15th roster spot. He can at the very least be a good mentor and from what he's shown so far still be productive. Two season in Europe would have done his game a world of good.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

I'm fairly confident we'll see Greg Monroe sign another 10-day contract after his current one ends January 5th, assuming the Wolves will still qualify for a hardship signing with players in COVID protocols. As for keeping him the remainder of the season, Minnesota will have to choose one of the following options regarding Moose.

1. Let Monroe walk after playing out his second 10-day contract.

2. Sign Monroe to a prorated veteran minimum contract lasting the rest of this season, which would at least temporarily force the Wolves over the luxury tax threshold.

3. Finalize a trade where Minnesota receives less money than what they send out in order to free up the money to sign Monroe to the contract I mentioned above. Jake Layman's expiring deal seems like a good one to keep an eye on.

4. Waive Naz Reid or Jaylen Nowell before their contract this season becomes guaranteed on January 10th. That would free up enough money to sign Monroe and stay under the luxury tax threshold.


These are simply the routes Minnesota could take when it comes to Monroe. Obviously, I'm not a fan of letting him walk nor would I waive Reid or Nowell to keep him. I think the Wolves should be exploring trades for wing help anyways. It would benefit them to take back less money in a trade so they can keep the veteran big for the rest of the season.

[Tactical unit]

I see Monroe as a nice depth piece and like I originally stated he brings a little something different than N. Ried and N. Knight. I think Ried could be part of a deal to land a larger piece and Monroe would make him more expendable but when a decent asset shows up on the cheap you need to convert that 10 day contact into a season long asset.

[Wolvesfan21]

I'm pretty meh on Monroe. I want my big to be a better defender and rim protector. Nice depth but I'm not giving any of Vando's or Naz's minutes to him. I like his size and he can match up with some bigger centers though.

[Lipoli390]

I'm pretty meh on Monroe. I want my big to be a better defender and rim protector. Nice depth but I'm not giving any of Vando's or Naz's minutes to him. I like his size and he can match up with some bigger centers though.

WolvesFan - I'm with you in preferring a better defender/rim protector than Monroe. Unfortunately, I don't see who the Wolves could sign or acquire as a practical matter who would fit that profile. What about Robin Lopez? I could see the Magic swapping him for Layman. But would Robin Lopez be any better than Monroe as a defender or rim protector? I don't think he's a better rebounder than Monroe and he's certainly not on par with Monroe as a passer.

[Phenom]

I hope the plan is to keep Monroe as a change of pace guy that can help in situations when the team is overmatched on the glass. Admittedly that is most every game but the Wolves have been able to make up for it in other areas. When those things aren't happening Monroe can come in and stop the bleeding and still be a threat on offense.