Greg Monroe: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation on Detroit Pistons Star

Greg Monroe, the talented 24-year-old power forward for the Detroit Pistons, is due to become a free agent after the season. Even though there is a lot of time before deals can be signed in the summer, it appears another team is poised to make a serious run at him. 

Continue for updates. 

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Monroe Comments on Potentially Meeting with Knicks

Wednesday, April 15

Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com passed along comments from Monroe, who spoke on potentially meeting with the Knicks in free agency, saying: "If they're interested, I'm going to."

On April 12, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported the New York Knicks are making no secret about how infatuated they are with Monroe:

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Maybe the worst kept secret in the NBA is that Phil Jackson plans to pursue Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe in free agency this summer. In fact, one league executive called it "about as close to a done deal as you can get."

A done deal is illegal of course and would open Jackson and the Knicks to tampering charges. A more likely scenario is that representatives from both parties have made their interest known and will proceed accordingly once the free-agent recruiting period begins on July 1st. It happens all the time.

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Following the report, Monroe commented on its merit, courtesy of Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press:

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It's a shame that people just write stuff that's not factual at all but we as players have to come in here and answer for it when we have absolutely nothing to do with it. I guess he's doing his job. That's what you guys do. You write it's a done deal then they must have another guy named Greg Monroe somewhere around there I don't know about because I haven't agreed to anything.

I've played in New York many times before and I don't see how this time will be any different. They're going to ask me the same kind of questions that you guys are saying and I'm going to tell them the same exact thing. I don't know where he got it from. I would tell you guys to ask him.

I haven't discussed anything with anybody. My agent hasn't discussed anything with anyone. It's the stuff I've been telling you guys all year is exactly what I've been doing. I've been focused on this season and that's going to be it.

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The Knicks have experienced a disastrous start to the Phil Jackson-Derek Fisher era. They lost Carmelo Anthony for the season in February and are tied for the league's worst record at 17-64. 

Despite the struggles, there are reasons to be optimistic about the Knicks' ability to make a quick turnaround. Monroe, who is averaging 16.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, would certainly be a great piece to start with.

It also helps that New York is in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, where potential superstars such as Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns will be available. Anthony will return and should play at an All-Star level for another couple of years. 

At the very least, it sounds like things will be interesting for the Knicks once the offseason begins.