Phoenix Suns agree to contract buyout with Greg Monroe
Feb 1, 2018, 3:10 PM | Updated: 3:34 pm
Phoenix Suns center Greg Monroe (14) reacts after being ejected for his second technical foul as teammate Isaiah Canaan, left, watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
The Phoenix Suns and Greg Monroe have agreed to a contract buyout, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s own John Gambadoro reported Wednesday.
The team made the move official Thursday afternoon.
Monroe is already lining up a potential landing spot, with the Boston Celtics looking to add another unique piece to the puzzle and the New Orleans Pelicans hoping to sign him as a replacement to DeMarcus Cousins, who is out for the year with a torn Achilles.
Greg Monroe has spoken to both Boston and New Orleans could make decision in next 24 hours. More playing time and chance to start in New Orleans vs role off the bench and chance to win a championship in Boston.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) February 1, 2018
Monroe came over to the Suns back in November as part of the Eric Bledsoe trade that sent the former Suns point guard to Milwaukee.
As a veteran post presence, there is a market for Monroe. Gambadoro reports at least two teams are interested in signing him. Those two teams are the Boston Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans.
While Monroe’s $17.8 million expiring contract made him a trade candidate, a salary of that size is difficult to fit in traditional deals. The NBA’s trade deadline is just over a week away on Feb. 8.
Monroe had been the third option at center for Suns, but with recent injuries to Alex Len and Tyson Chandler taking off one game of a back-to-back routinely, he did have a role with the Suns.
Entering Wednesday night’s game, he averaged 10.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 23.3 minutes per game in 20 games played.
With Monroe on the way out, the question becomes who will take the minutes Monroe was playing. The news of Monroe’s buyout came less than an hour before the team’s game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
The Suns have sparingly used Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender at the five, but with Jared Dudley serving as the team’s third-string power forward, either of the young power forwards spending real time as the center wouldn’t leave a hole in the rotation. Alec Peters is also on the roster at the power forward position.
Center Alan Williams underwent meniscus repair in late September, with the Suns saying he was expected to return to basketball activities in six months. That timeline would put him back for a return in late March.
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