2015 Free Agency: Is Greg Monroe Worth The Money?
In this diminished big-man generation, a 6-11 player that gives a team, (even a bad one), 16 points and 11 rebounds every single night, and has done so the past four years, a selfless player who doesn’t whine about touches or when things go absurdly wrong, and has a mastery in the paint, that player will become a valuable commodity when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
This is the world Greg Monroe will enter on July 1st as he fields offers from teams with cap space such as the Lakers, Celtics, Suns, Mavericks, Hawks as well as his current team, the Detroit Pistons. All will fling ridiculous numbers for his services as a power forward/center and no one should be surprised, least of all Greg Monroe, at the phone ringing off the hook. It was exactly how he planned it.
Last summer, Greg Monroe was a restricted free agent. In lieu of a larger contract with the Pistons, he signed a $5.4 million dollar qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent in 2015. He wasn’t the first player to go this route. Spencer Hawes, Raymond Felton and Ben Gordon also accepted the one year qualifying offer that gave them more choices the following year.
Monroe’s decision was a signal to the Pistons that he wasn’t romantic about them drafting him in the lottery four years earlier. Monroe (and his agent David Falk) were not operating from a loyalty premise. If another team offered the right financial package, he would be more than willing to walk.
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But, so much has happened since September. The Pistons severed ties with Josh Smith. They acquired Reggie Jackson after Brandon Jennings tore his Achilles. The best thing about the Pistons these days is the front court combo of Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond (29 points, 24 rebounds). And Stan Van Gundy trying to lead them to the playoffs, though they will come up short. It’s not going to happen this year, but it’s easy to see the vision of Van Gundy which is what he’ll sell Monroe on, plus the fact that the Pistons can offer Monroe the most money and a 5 year deal. They also have a lot of cap room, over $20 million, allowing them to add a lower-salaried player with Monroe.
Somewhere in the range of $60 million is what Monroe is worth on the open market when you factor in previous free agent contracts for players of his production and size. But, for teams looking to add a quality big man, Monroe has his vulnerabilities.
In a guard centric pick-and-roll, corner three league, Monroe’s game is very old-school. He is not particularly mobile in the paint. He’s not going out to the perimeter to guard Serge Ibaka. He’s not freakishly athletic or a SportsCenter highlight waiting to happen. He’s a solid defender but Blake Griffin can blow by him any time he wants. He doesn’t protect the rim, he’s not a dunker but a lay it in the basket type. He doesn’t dominate his position but he is a very good power forward who may never be an All-Star in a conference with Chris Bosh, Kevin Love, Pau Gasol, Al Horford, Nikola Vucevic.
This year, Monroe is shooting 25% from 10-16 feet, a career low. He shots 49% and is the 8th most efficient power forward in the NBA. Of the 7 power forwards ranked above him in efficiency, only Tim Duncan and Pau Gasol have a higher Defensive Rebounding Rating. Monroe is 8th in the league in rebounding and has had two 20+ rebounding games this year and two 18 rebounds games this year. His offensive rebounding skill is on par with Joakim Noah and Zach Randolph. He shoots 74% from the free throw line.
But, he is what he is-a half court player, and there is no changing that. He finishes in the lane and around the rim and is better at long two’s then mid-range shots. He is a consistent performer, 16 and 10 every single year, but he isn’t spectacular and he won’t thrill you with his ability on the break or in the paint. He is very, very good on both ends of the floor but not great and in some ways he has a very boring, ho-hum game if you think double digit rebounding and making almost half of his shots is boring.
The Kevin Love admirers need to have a second choice if Love indeed goes back to Cleveland. Greg Monroe isn’t as good on offense as Love, but he is exponentially better on defense, so he’ll make a worthwhile runner-up in the free agent power forward sweepstakes.