The agent for Greg Monroe told CBSSports.com's Ken Berger Thursday morning that Monroe chose the Milwaukee Bucks over the Lakers and Knicks among other teams, despite the presence of multiple max contract offers.
Agent David Falk says all four teams Greg Monroe met with offered the max. Chose Bucks due to better chance to "make playoffs immediately."
— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) July 2, 2015
There have been media rumblings that the Lakers are denying they offered Monroe the max. Same with the Knicks. But for Falk to go on record and say the max was indeed offered speaks pretty loudly. The odds are pretty great that both LA and New York, both desperate for any big name to sign with them, offered the max and Monroe simply turned it down.
Does this mean anything, in terms of the evolving NBA? Yes and no. Monroe is a limited defensive player and not really a franchise cornerstone, though he's a superb scorer and excellent rebounder with surprisingly good passing skills and vision. His defense is mostly a product of poor foot speed and attentiveness, which can improve but won't necessarily ever be "good." However, he was still a top free agent on the market and an impact player.
And he just chose little old Milwaukee over the Knicks and Lakers for the same money. If anything should signal a shift away from the idea that big markets rule all, it's got to be that. Simply being in a big city is not enough anymore, and with word that LaMarcus Aldridge has ruled out the Lakers, and that David West may have ruled out the Knicks, the two biggest spenders in free agency may not have great options on who to spend that cash on at this point.
