The NBA trade deadline has generated incredible attention from basketball fans and the media. With teams circling the market like hawks to boost their chances of unseating either LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers or Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors, some players are tagged as key trading chips. One of the most widely talked about NBA star is Greg Monroe.
The Milwaukee Bucks star has been the center of NBA trade rumors ever since news broke that he is available for negotiations. With his first year on the team, Monroe has failed to perform on par with the expectations laid out for him in the beginning. Hence, the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly itched to have him traded for either a younger star or a reliable veteran.
Among the NBA teams that attempted to contact the Milwaukee Bucks for Monroe, Today's Fastbreak disclosed that the New Orleans Pelicans stood out. With an injured Anthony Davis, the interested party appears to be searching for a center to fill the void. This makes Monroe an attractive prospect. In exchange, the New Orleans Pelicans offered Ryan Anderson for the center.
However, it looks like the Milwaukee Bucks did not consider the NBA trade worth their while as the team opted to keep Monroe. According to USA Today, the center remains with his current team - with Anderson still stuck with the New Orleans Pelicans.
"Teams have placed calls to the Bucks to see if they can acquire Monroe, who is in his first year with the team," shared Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. He added, "But those conversations didn't advance, and one person said with emphasis there is zero chance Monroe is traded."
Before the announcement of the Milwaukee Bucks' decision not to go on with the Monroe NBA trade, New Orleans Pelicans star Anderson commented on his possible departure from his team. He shared that the speculations regarding his future no longer affects him, noting that the best source will always be his team and the front office.
"I'm not going to read into it," said Anderson via NBA.com. "It's part of the game. I'm not a newbie. They are rumors - I don't know what's legit or not. Up until this point, it's still rumors. I'm not really trying to look into a bunch of information. I'm trying to be professional and do my job here. If I get a call (that a trade has happened), I get a call."
He added, "Regardless of what happens to me, I still get to play basketball. It's going to be a tough day. I'm glad a lot of the staff and my teammates are going to be able to go, to be there for Monty and his family. It's going to be an emotional day and it's been an emotional time. That's at the forefront of my thought process right now."
