According to CBS Sports’ Matt Moore’s report, based on the David Aldridge article on NBA.com, the Pistons will match any offer sheet signed by Greg Monroe, even if it is the maximum dollar value applicable under the recent collective bargaining agreement. From the report:
2. Greg Monroe, Pistons (restricted free agent after 2013-14)
The Pistons, one of the league’s bigger disappointments this season, fired coach Maurice Cheeks on Sunday off orders from owner Tom Gores. What that means for their immediate plans with Monroe are up in the air. For the moment, the Pistons remain adamant that the 23-year-old Monroe is a key part of their future, alongside second-year center Andre Drummond.
But they opted not to give Monroe an extension before last October’s deadline, though they can match any other team’s offer he’ll receive next summer. The problem, as the Pistons knew last fall, is that Monroe’s agent is David Falk. He has gotten the price he said he’d get for his clients for two decades — and he says the price for Monroe will be a max contract.
Two years ago, when a big deal for Indiana’s Roy Hibbert, a Falk client, seemed doubtful, Falk created a one-team market. Portland dropped a four-year, $58 million sheet on Indiana for Hibbert. The Pacers matched, and are no doubt happy they did, but Falk proved he can still find suitors when he has to for his guys.
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If Falk finds a team ready to give Monroe the max or something close to it, expect Detroit to match the offer sheet and worry about the money later. At worst, you’d have a 24-year-old, 6-foot-10 power forward under contract that you’d then be able to shop. The Pistons had to lose a lot to wind up with top-10 picks in three straight Drafts. Those assets mean more to them than they probably do to others.
This news should come as no surprise to Pistons fans as recently Tom Gores has reiterated his opinion to anyone and everyone who has listened, that the team has more talent than it has shown in its record. Monroe, 23, is entering the final year of his rookie wage scale contract and the Pistons will be able to retain his exclusive rights this offseason by extending a qualifying offer to him, thus making him a restricted free agent.
It only makes sense to keep Monroe around because he is still an asset to the organization, and has proven that he can adjust his role based on what the team needs as he has suddenly slipped from the 1st option on offense to something that resembles the 2nd, 3rd or 4th option on offense depending on how the others are performing. He is currently experiencing a career low percentage in “usage rate”, while still putting up solid offensive numbers when given a chance to play with the ball in his hands.
The Pistons are playing their first game under new Interim Head Coach John Loyer tonight at The Palace at 7:30pm, against the San Antonio Spurs.
I’m sure I’m not the only one but we should give Monroe anything and everything he asks for. It’s obvious that Detroit is placing the ‘cornerstone’ tag on him and his in-the-paint partner of Drummond. Those are the two people that we should be building around. We are trying, not as fast as we want, but we are getting there. These past three games have really showed what we can do if everything clicks: a young, athletic team who can get up and down the court and put the ball in the bucket. Gone are the days of holding teams under 70 points like in yesteryear. The league is about putting up points and we are trying to show that we can do that.
Our roster doesn’t add up to our record and it’s known to anybody who has League Pass. If we can win this next game at home and enter the All-Star break with some momentum: I’ll be a happy person. As well as the Piston fans and organization, but that’s only a first step… we’ll have a long way to go..