Greg Monroe accepted a one-year, $5.5 million qualifying offer from the Detroit Pistons in the offseason, but the power forward's days in Detroit are likely numbered.

Monroe, who is playing in his fifth season in the NBA, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, creating speculation that Detroit will simply trade him instead of losing him for nothing in the offseason.

According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Pistons are already shopping Monroe in the hope of striking a deal before the deadline in February.

Under league rules, Monroe could veto any deal until the deadline, but a source close to the situation indicated that 24-year-old wants out of Detroit because of their rough start this season. The Pistons are currently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings with a measly 5-20 record.

"Everyone knows he wants out of there," the source said of Monroe, who is averaging 15.0 points to go along with 9.1 rebounds per game this season. "There is almost nothing he would shoot down."

When asked about reports suggesting that he wants out of Detroit, Monroe, whose team recently ended their 13-game slump, denied that he is asking for a trade, saying that trade rumors involving him are frustrating.

"At this point, it's definitely annoying," Monroe said via USA Today. "We're trying to turn things around here right now, and I gotta come in here and answer to stuff that I absolutely have nothing to do with. It is annoying, yes."

Sporting News also reported that the Pistons, who are among the most active teams on trade front according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, are looking for a first-round pick in return. The asking price is too high for most teams, considering the fact that Monroe will become a free agent next summer.

When asked about the reports about the possible trade involving Monroe, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy denied that they are shopping the former Georgetown standout for a first-round pick before the deadline.

"I don't know where that stuff comes from," Van Gundy told Detroit Free Press. "We haven't talked to anybody about trading Greg Monroe."

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