Greg Monroe: What Would Make A Bucks/Celtics Deal Work?

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly shopping Greg Monroe. What would make a deal with the Boston Celtics involving Monroe work for both parties?

The Milwaukee Bucks would probably be smart to deal Greg Monroe, and fairly soon. Monroe is expensive even in a rapidly rising cap, and last season was enough to convince most Bucks fans that he’s just not a good fit in Milwaukee.

With the Boston Celtics trying to trade for pretty much every good player in the NBA right now–including Monroe’s teammate Khris Middleton–Monroe to Boston is a logical idea.

ESPN NBA writer Kevin Pelton agreed in his latest article, where he detailed how the Celtics could trade all of their picks in the upcoming 2016 NBA Draft. One of his ideas included a Monroe deal.

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Pelton wrote that the Bucks could give up Moose for the 31st and 51st pick in the draft. Two second rounders for Greg Monroe doesn’t feel as ludicrous as it might’ve earlier in his Milwaukee tenure, but it still feels like a weak return for a player of Monroe’s caliber.

If the Bucks are really desperate to move Moose, it could happen. But considering an expiring Derrick Rose (plus Justin Holiday and a second round pick next year) was worth Robin Lopez, Jerian Grant and Jose Calderon, Monroe could have more value than a pair of second round picks.

The 31st overall pick is a real trade chip. Second round picks have different contract rules than first rounders that make them much cheaper, and it’s not like the drop from say 29 to 31 is entirely noticeable.

The 51st overall pick, on the other hand, projects to be worth approximately nothing. It’s rare for players drafted that late to make much of anything out of their NBA careers.

The biggest problem with the hypothetical trade is that Milwaukee already has more second round picks than the team plans on using, according to Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"[Bucks GM John] Hammond hinted he would not use both second-round picks because the Bucks have some of their own free agents they would like to sign and also expect to be active in free agency after July 1."

If the Bucks think two second round picks is too many, clearly four of them is massive overkill. There’s always the possibility of packaging some of those picks to move up, but if no team wants to do that then Milwaukee is stuck with five new players tomorrow, just one of them a first-rounder.

A better trade between these two teams is certainly possible to construct. Boston has eight picks in this draft, three of them being first rounders. If the Bucks could get either the 16th or 23rd overall pick and a player back this trade could make more sense for Milwaukee.

Jonas Jerebko was a surprisingly good stretch four for the Celtics last year, shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range in limited bench minutes. Adding him plus one of those picks makes a deal that could make Milwaukee think more than a platter of second round picks could.

The Celtics would get their big name center and still have four picks in the top 35 selections to deal/use, and Milwaukee gets a bench big man who can shoot and a pick to help them out.

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Jae Crowder or Avery Bradley would be nice returns too, but one of those two plus a decent pick might be more than Boston wants to pay for Moose. Other than those two and maybe Kelly Olynyk, the Celtics don’t actually have too many players Milwaukee would want all that badly.

If Boston doesn’t want to deal a player/the Bucks aren’t interested in who the Celtics are willing to deal, maybe some two of the 16th, 23rd, 31st and 35th overall selections could be enough to entice Milwaukee as well.

Having two of those picks, plus 10th, 36th and 38th would give the Bucks a lot of draft day ammo to make further moves. There would be risk involved as mentioned earlier, but five picks in the top 38 is a lot better than four there and one way down at 51st overall.

It feels like the Celtics are willing to play fast and loose with draft picks after all of the rumors circulating this offseason already, plus the apparent godfather offer made to Charlotte last draft day.

Next: NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Countdown to Draft Night

The Milwaukee Bucks could cash in on Greg Monroe in the hours leading up to the 2016 NBA Draft and potentially get an interesting return from the Boston Celtics.

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Building A Better Greg Monroe To Boston Trade

By Ti Windisch | Jun 22, 2016

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly shopping Greg Monroe. What would make a deal with the Boston Celtics involving Monroe work for both parties?

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