The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly looking to pair Anthony Davis with a “bruiser” down low, and have their eye on Milwaukee Bucks’ power forward Greg Monroe, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
Monroe certainly fits the bill as a “bruiser.” He’s a very talented scorer who gets nearly all of his buckets in the paint. He’s strong, has a superb post game, and is an excellent finisher. The only downside, of course, is his deficiency on the defensive end. However, if there’s a team out there that can hide Monroe defensively, it’s the Pelicans. Anthony Davis is one of the best defensive big men in the league, so he can help correct Monroe’s mistakes.
The Pelicans’ interest in Monroe, who is originally from New Orleans, is not one-sided, reports John Reid of NOLA.com:
Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe’s preference is to return home to play in New Orleans, league sources say.
Monroe had the same preference last summer when he became an unrestricted free agent after playing his first five seasons with Detroit, but the Pelicans did not make a push to sign him.
Monroe could be a good fit for the Pelicans, and Milwaukee is likely inclined to trade him, as they haven’t been amazing in their first season with him on the roster(22-32).
This season, Monroe has averaged 16.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 52.1% from the field.
