Milwaukee has engaged in trade discussions with the Hornets on a deal involving Greg Monroe, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Time relays. Charlotte would then offer up Jeremy Lamb, who’s been underutilized with the Hornets, and Spencer Hawes, whom the Hornets don’t covet due to its respectable frontcourt depth.
There have been whispers the Bucks and Hornets have had conversations about a deal in which the Bucks would get Lamb and big man Spencer Hawes for Greg Monroe.
For the Bucks, trading Greg Monroe has been at the top of its priority list throughout 2016. They discussed several packages with a plethora of teams around the deadline in February, and made exploratory calls around the league in the months leading into free agency this summer.
Monroe, the Bucks’ prized 2015 free agent addition, has seen his playing time gradually reduce over his last three seasons with the Pistons and Bucks. Milwaukee no longer views him as a necessity to its core group, with head coach Jason Kidd already revealing he plans on bringing Monroe off the bench to start the season.
For Charlotte, adding Greg Monroe would pique the curiosity of many fans. Head coach Steve Clifford can opt to start the 6’11” forward, perhaps alongside Cody Zeller or Marvin Williams, or elect to bring him off the bench with the defensive minded Roy Hibbert.
The Hornets would part with Hawes, another big man, and Jeremy Lamb, who saw just 12 minutes in the team’s postseason battle with the Heat last spring.
With the Bucks suddenly losing Khris Middleton to a hamstring tear, who some league execs and doctors believe may miss more than the estimated six months, adding Jeremy Lamb would help fill in the scoring void left at the wing position. Lamb averaged 8.8 points, shooting 45% from the field in 18.6 minutes per game last season.
The Bucks hope to deal Monroe away sooner than later, holding high hopes of allowing Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo to start carrying the offensive load.
