NBA Rumors: Phoenix Suns Trading Greg Monroe To Cleveland?

After acquiring him from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Phoenix Suns are actively shopping center Greg Monroe. With a plethora of big men on the Suns’ roster, the 27-year-old big man is obviously an odd fit in Phoenix, especially now that they are in the middle of the rebuilding process. Since making him available in the trade market, the Cleveland Cavaliers emerged as one of the top trade destinations for Monroe.

After losing Tristan Thompson due to injury, the Cavaliers are rumored to be out on the market looking for a center. They currently lack frontcourt depth behind Kevin Love and Jae Crowder. Though Cleveland has Channing Frye and Ante Zizic, none of them could play center effectively.

Since the offseason, Jahlil Okafor and Greg Monroe were frequently mentioned in various rumors involving the Cavaliers. However, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com., the Cavaliers don’t view Okafor as an ideal trade target. Vardon revealed that Cleveland has a high degree of interest in Monroe.

Greg Monroe may not be a quality rim protector that the Cavaliers need, but he’s a proven scorer. In his eight-year stint in the NBA, he’s averaging 14.0 points and 8.7 rebounds on 51.2 percent shooting from the field. According to Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report, the Phoenix Suns aren’t expected to demand a high return for Monroe since he’s set to become a free agent next summer.

“Monroe may not cost a ton to acquire from Phoenix since he is a rental set to hit free agency during the offseason, but Cleveland may have to do some roster shuffling if it wants to bring him in.”

A couple of second-round picks and expiring contracts could be enough to convince the Phoenix Suns to make a deal. So far, there is no official information confirming that there is an ongoing negotiation between the Suns and the Cavaliers. The Suns are doing everything they can to increase Monroe’s trade value.

Monroe made his Suns debut against the Houston Rockets, where he posted 20 points, 11 rebounds, and one block on 71.4 percent shooting from the field. Letting him play will give potential trade partners an idea what Monroe can do on their team. In the coming days, rumors surrounding Monroe is expected to heat up.

[Featured Image by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]