Pacers Looking to Acquire Greg Monroe?

Apr 16, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe (10) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Indiana Pacers have been looking to make some moves since the Paul George injury, and there are new reports circulating about another player that they are targeting. According to a report from Matt Dery, the Pacers have called the Detroit Pistons regarding a trade for big man Greg Monroe. Monroe is currently a restricted free agent, which would mean that the Pacers would have to agree to a deal with him prior to a trade.

There hasn’t been too much interest in Monroe on the open market so far, and the Pistons don’t appear too interested in retaining him. They currently have Andre Drummond and Josh Smith in the front-court, which could mean that they won’t have interest in Roy Hibbert. David West would be another name to think of for the Pistons, as they could look to move Smith to the small forward position.

If the Pacers could acquire Monroe in a trade that involved Hibbert being the main piece, that would be a huge win for Larry Bird and Indiana. They are still very much interested in trading Hibbert if the right deal presents itself, and Monroe would be a much better offensive option for them to lean on with George being out for the entire season. His defense is nothing close to what Hibbert can bring to the table, but he is far more consistent.

Monroe started and played in all 82 regular season games for the Pistons last season, averaging 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He shot 49.7% from the field and 65.7% from the foul line. There are definite issues with his game, but for the most part he is a more talented and consistent upgrade over Hibbert.

Overall, there is a decent possibility that the two sides pick up talks and get a little more serious than just preliminary discussions. The Pacers are desperate to bring in a legitimate number one scoring option, and they are also strongly considering rebuilding around younger players that can help play with George long-term. Monroe has the potential to become a very special big man, and would bring the type of scoring that Indiana needs to stay in contention for a playoff spot.