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Knicks: Losing Greg Monroe is Not the Nail in the Coffin

By Maxwell Ogden

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One of the most highly-touted NBA free agents in 2015 was Greg Monroe. The former Detroit Pistons big man has become a consistent source of double-doubles as an interior-oriented contributor in the Eastern Conference.

That steadiness netted Monroe a $50 million contract.

In what can only be described as a shocking turn of events, Monroe spurned the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks for the Milwaukee Bucks.

At less than $17 million per season, one has to wonder why the Knicks couldn’t get the job done. That’s a very reasonable salary for a player who excels at scoring from the post—a key strength in the Triangle Offense.

Missing out on Monroe is not ideal, but do yourself a favor and don’t lose any sleep.

Monroe is a fine young player with the statistics to grab the average fan’s attention. He averaged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.3 offensive boards, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 49.6 percent from the field in 2014-15.

Thus, it stands to reason that Monroe would’ve helped the Knicks immensely.

The other piece to complete this puzzle is the knowledge that Monroe has never once reached the NBA Playoffs. He could’ve done so in New York with Carmelo Anthony, but that unto itself would be a gamble.

Rather than overreacting as though the Knicks missed out on a superstar, fans should view this as a potentially dodged bullet.

Monroe has the tools to be a very good player, but the Knicks’ offseason moves have distanced him from being a good fit. He’s a defensive liability who would place a tremendous amount of pressure on rookie Kristaps Porzingis, thus unnecessarily shortening the learning curve.

Playing with Anthony may already be doing so for Porzingis, but it’s entirely possible that New York will find a rim protector for significantly less money than it would’ve been paying Monroe.

Greg Monroe’s lack of defensive prowess would’ve placed a significant amount of pressure on rookie Kristaps Porzingis—possibly to the point of being a detriment to his offensive contributions. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

According to NBA.com, opponents shot an obscene 55.1 percent when Monroe met them at the rim in 2014-15. That’s not only below average, but genuinely awful.

The Knicks need more defense out of a center with Porzingis serving as the future on offense.

Offensively, Monroe is an excellent rebounder who can terrorize teams from the post. That’s about all he offers at this stage of his career.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Monroe shot just 36.5 percent on shots from 3-to-10 feet in 2014-15. He also converted a weak 32.1 percent of his looks from 10-to-16 feet and a disappointing 35.1 percent from 16-to-23 feet.

As great a post player as he is, Monroe’s stunning inefficiency from virtually all other areas is a red flag.

For perspective, Monroe took 65 shots from 10 feet and beyond during the entire 2014-15 season. He made 24.2 percent of his mid-range jumpers in 2013-14, per Basketball-Reference.com.

This isn’t something that can be blamed on Stan Van Gundy; it’s a genuine weakness.

In total, Monroe shot 24.4 percent on jump shots, per Basketball-Reference.com. His hook shot is a threat and he would’ve been fun to see develop, but Monroe isn’t exactly a slam-dunk signing.

Monroe would’ve been a brilliant addition on the low block, but missing out on him is not a nail in the coffin.

Next: The New York Knicks signed Arron Afflalo to a two-year, $16 million contract.

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