As we move closer to the 2010 NBA Draft, more reports are focusing on Greg Monroe and where he fits in a draft loaded with big men.
SBN Blog Ridiculous Upside projects Monroe going #5 to the Kings, stating:
With DeMarcus Cousins off the board, the Kings turn to the Best Remaining Big Man on the Board, Greg Monroe. It's no secret the Kings have been looking for big men. The team hasn't worked out a top-level small forward or guard yet, and may never. The Kings seem comfortable playing Beno Udrih or Francisco Garcia alongside Tyreke Evans for the time being, and the front office knows the small forward spot is a battle between Omri Casspi and Donté Greene. But the frontcourt is unfinished, with Jason Thompson still trying to prove he can be a full-time starter, Carl Landry proving he's best served coming off the bench, and Spencer Hawes just trying to avoid being labeled a bust.
This, however, was definitely written before news came out that the Kings acquired big man Samuel Dalembert from the Sixers.
Rush the Court makes the case that Monroe would be best suited for Utah at #9, but agrees that it is unlikely that he drops that far.
Best NBA Fit: Their has been a lot of talk about Monroe going to Utah at the #9 pick and this would probably be the best possible situation for him. Even though Monroe has the best passing ability of any big man in this draft and a team can run sets through him he would probably be best suited to be a secondary distributor. In the case of Utah he would have a pretty good primary ball handler to create on the offensive end in Deron Williams. Monroe and Williams could turn into an outstanding pick-and-roll combo (a homeless man’s Stockton to Malone) except this time the pick man could pass it to 4 different players instead of just tossing it back to a streaking point guard. The Utah situation becomes even more enticing as Carlos Boozer is a free agent this summer and we know he has no problem turning his back on a team. If that were to happen Monroe could be competing for a starting job on Day #1 for a contender in the Western Conference. Playing alongside Mehmet Okur would also allow Monroe to alternate at the 4 or 5 spot depending on the match-up. Basically this is the perfect situation for someone with Monroe’s strengths and weaknesses.
Meanwhile, Golden State GM Larry Riley raved about Monroe's passing abilities in an interview:
Riley called Monroe the "best passer" in college last year and compared him to Bill Walton.
I pose the question to you, loyal reader. Is it better for Monroe to go earlier in the draft to a team that doesn't make full use of his unique big man abilities, or later in the draft to a team where he can excel?
Is it better to get paid upfront with a big rookie contract, or later after establishing yourself as a capable player?