NBA Rumors: Examining Trade Chatter on Greg Monroe, Rudy Gay and More
NBA fans can use a breather from monitoring every superstar's step. Although the top guys run the league, they don't hold a monopoly on trade rumors.
There's plenty of time to wonder where Russell Westbrook and Blake Griffin might wind up. Besides, it could all be for naught if both studs stay with their current teams.
The following guys aren't as fun to discuss, but they're significant offensive contributors despite their limitations. With free agency slowing to a crawl and the summer league wrapped up, let's look at what's brewing on the trade market.
Greg Monroe and Rudy Gay on Trade Block
A pair of divisive, well-paid scorers headline the league's trading block, according to ESPN's Marc Stein:
After signing him last summer, the Milwaukee Bucks are already looking to flip big man Greg Monroe. Per Stein, he's considered expendable after the team retained Miles Plumlee with a four-year, $52 million deal.
Monroe averaged 15.3 points per game on 52.2 percent shooting, but his rugged style doesn't translate well into a faster NBA. His mid-range game is limited, and he can't stretch the floor.
Despite his 6'11" size, the slow-footed center played below-average defense, recording a 107.5 defensive rating. Yet paying him approximately $17 million won't scare off a buyer who is searching for a post-up scorer after the league's salary-cap uptick.
Milwaukee needs to build around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, which is tough to do with Monroe clogging the paint and hogging touches with a team-high 23.4 usage rate. Moving Monroe would also clear up playing time for first-round pick Thon Maker, a more athletic big with a wider wingspan.
Rudy Gay mustered his lowest scoring average (17.2) in nine years, but the maligned volume scorer did it with an elevated 46.3 field-goal percentage. The 29-year-old forward, however, continued his shooting struggles from three-point range (34.4 percent) while offering little assistance to the Sacramento Kings' lackluster defense.
Two weeks ago, Stein said Sacramento started preliminary talks with the Chicago Bulls about Gay. Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and Gay may look interesting on paper, but grouping them together would produce a disastrous lack of shooting.
Wade's old team, the Miami Heat, now might make a more feasible landing spot. And at the time of Stein's report, the Oklahoman's Anthony Slater floated out the Oklahoma City Thunder as a possible fit for Gay as a replacement for Kevin Durant:
He's not perfect, but Gay still garners respect around the league as a prolific scorer. As for the Kings' plans, nobody ever knows. They should intend on surrounding DeMarcus Cousins with young backcourt upgrades, but they might just end up acquiring three more centers.
Jahlil Okafor 'Most Likely Trade' for Boston Celtics
At this rate, the Boston Celtics better have a nice hotel near the rumor mill.
Their deep roster and draft-pick supply associate them with every player with a remote chance of getting moved. This often involves a superstar, but they might have to lower the bar to get something done.
According to CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely, league executives identified Jahlil Okafor as the "most likely trade for Boston." As an NBA scout told Blakely, the Philadelphia 76ers need to clear their frontcourt logjam:
"From the moment Philly drafted Ben [Simmons], everyone around the league knew that they would have to trade a big, either Okafor or Nerlens [Noel]. Okafor is the better scorer; it’s not even close really. But Nerlens has that ability to run the floor and can protect the rim. Those two qualities . . . you can’t have enough guys in the frontcourt who call those two skills, strengths. That’s why Okafor is the more expendable player.
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The 2015 No. 3 pick posted 17.5 points per game as a rookie, but his scoring took a backseat to his minus-16.6 net rating. While he could pile up double-doubles with regularity if given the chance, they will come without passing or rim protection.
Philadelphia can mold Ben Simmons into a cornerstone player better with Nerlens Noel's defense than Okafor's one-dimensional offense. Okafor would serve a bigger purpose in Boston, though, which didn't roster a forward or center with a double-digit scoring average last season. The Celtics have since added Al Horford, but he's versatile enough to support a younger post-up scorer.
Boston needs a standout scoring option, and Philadelphia can use some better guards. Going after Okafor is far more pragmatic for Boston than fantasizing about Westbrook or Griffin.
Note: All advanced stats courtesy of NBA.com.
