I really don't see the need to try and get him via trade. Only asset we have is Otto and I'm not ready to give up on him. Just sign Monroe outright in July.
This. Why on Earth should we give Detroit
anything for a player they won't even retain?
So we would have the luxury of signing him to an extra year at max money? Forgive me if I don't jump at the opportunity.
We had this discussion months ago, and I expressed my reluctance at the time to Monroe outright when he hits free agency. He hasn't exactly improved his value since then.
I would consider swapping Monroe for Nene only because Nene's contract is toxic and Monroe's less likely to fall apart over the next few months. Aside from that, there is no way I want to be paying $12 million plus for 12 points and 8 boards. I can get two d-league players to give me that same production for a tenth of the cost. Look at who you're competing against. Greg Monroe is not going to make you competitive against Indiana. It's one thing to overpay if you're certain the move will put you over the top, but there's no point in overpaying for mediocrity.
We don't need Greg Monroe just to make the playoffs. Aside from two teams, the East is so feeble this season that all we need to do in order to finish in the top eight is to
try. There will likely be two teams in this year's playoffs who attempted to tank and
failed. We've already mortgaged enough of our future by renting Gortat. We don't need to compound that problem by sacrificing a young player, pick, or any assets whatsoever for the "privilege" of overpaying a third rate big.
Greg Monroe has not moved the needle for Detroit. When you pay max money, you deserve an impact player.
In all likelihood, Carlos Boozer will be amnestied by Chicago this summer. All we have to do to get him is to be under the cap and outbid other teams who will at that time be under the cap - and that's a pretty sorry lot. I've never been a big Carlos Boozer fan, but I'd certainly take Boozer at $4 million instead of paying Monroe three times that much for less production.
I can only hope that, in their desperation, Detroit's responsible for floating this "rumor" and we manage to survive the trade deadline without Ernie somehow ruining our future.