:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46657006/usa-today-8508137.0.jpg)
Thursday Update: Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Greg Monroe has agreed to a maximum contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Free agent Greg Monroe will sign a maximum contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 2, 2015
The Portland Trail Blazers have made no secret of their pursuit of Detroit Pistons free agent center Greg Monroe. They sent owner Paul Allen, General Manager Neil Olshey, and Head Coach Terry Stotts to Washington to meet with him early this morning. This afternoon they announced through the media that their current master plan is to pair Monroe with their own free agent, LaMarcus Aldridge. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports tweets that their efforts may be bearing fruit.
Yahoo Sources: Two small market teams have made significant inroads in the pursuit of free agent Greg Monroe: Milwaukee and Portland.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 2, 2015
The caveat here is that Monroe hasn't met with that many other teams. Depending on the timing of the source's information, the Knicks and Lakers may have come calling. This could be a case of "Monroe has liked everyone he's met with". Even so, it's good news for Portland on a day when such is welcome.
The 6'11", 253lb 5-year veteran started life as a center in Detroit but became a hybrid center/power forward with the advent of Andre Drummond. He accepted a one-year qualifying offer from the Pistons last summer in order to become an unrestricted free agent in 2015.
Monroe averaged 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in 31 minutes per game last year.