NBA Trade Rumors 2014: New Detroit Pistons Coach Stan Van Gundy Could Trade Greg Monroe and Josh Smith
The Detroit Pistons named Stan Van Gundy as the team's new head coach and president of basketball operations on Wednesday, and the former Miami Heat and Orlando Magic coach is expected to make big moves this summer.
Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported that Van Gundy could let Greg Monroe go this summer either by executing a sign-and-trade with an interested team or just letting him go via free agency.
Monroe, who averaged 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds this season, will become a restricted free agent this summer, which means that the Pistons will have the right to match any offer tendered to the 23-year-old power forward.
Deveney pointed out that most executives are convinced that the Pistons will let Monroe go this summer even before former team president Joe Dumars stepped down from his post. Van Gundy's arrival further intensified talks about Monroe's future in Detroit.
"There was a growing consensus around the league that whomever was tabbed to replace Joe Dumars in the front office would be willing to let restricted free agent Greg Monroe go," Deveney wrote. "Now, with Van Gundy in place on an eyebrow-raising contract-five years, $35 million-there is near certainty among league executives that Monroe has played his last game for Detroit."
Sources indicated that Van Gundy believes that Monroe cannot co-exist with Pistons' emerging big man Andre Drummond, and the new team president is planning to ditch Monroe and build the team around Drummond, who averaged 13.5 points and 13.2 rebounds a game this season.
The Charlotte Hornets and the Los Angeles Lakers were mentioned as potential trade partners, but both teams are expected to target big-name free agents like Carmelo Anthony first before setting their sights to Monroe.
Aside from Monroe, high-flying forward Josh Smith could also be on his way out of Detroit just a year after signing a four-year, $54 million deal with the Pistons last summer.
The Pistons reportedly shopped Smith before the trade deadline and it remains to be seen whether or not they will find a taker for the 28-year-old forward this summer.
Smith averaged 16.4 points to go along with 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his first season in Detroit.
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