When the Milwaukee Bucks signed center Greg Monroe to a three-year, $51.4 million deal back in 2015, it caught a lot of people around the NBA world by surprise. Then a top-end free agent, Milwaukee didn’t necessarily seem like a top destination.
The idea for the Bucks was to build their fledgling franchise around the former top-10 pick of the Detroit Pistons. That never materialized. And after Monroe saw himself playing a minimal role for the team this season, he was sent to the Phoenix Suns earlier in the week as a cap-filler for Eric Bledsoe (more on that here).
Following the trade, Monroe indicated that he was blindsided by being moved to the desert.
“Blindsided. I honestly didn’t have any clue,” Monroe said, via ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “But it’s what we signed up for. It could happen to anyone at any moment. My job is to play, that’s what I try to focus on and that’s really it.”
We’re not too sure why Monroe was surprised here. He’s long been on the trade block, especially after the veteran saw himself relegated to bench duties for the Bucks last season. As an expiring contract, he also holds a lot of value. That came to fruition in the Bledsoe deal earlier this week.
Monroe, 27, averaged 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in Milwaukee before being shipped off to Phoenix. If these numbers hold true, it would represent career-lows for Monroe in each category.
It remains to be seen if Monroe actually has a future in Phoenix. He could be bought out by the rebuilding team. There’s also a possibility he could be shipped off for more assets prior to February’s trade deadline.