Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe Signs With Puerto Rican Team

Veteran NBA center Greg Monroe has joined Puerto Rican club Osos de Manatí, the team officially announced (via Instagram; hat tip to Sportando).

The seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, Monroe has appeared in a total of 646 NBA regular season games, averaging 13.0 points and 8.2 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per contest. The 32-year-old big man spent time with four different NBA teams last season, primarily on 10-day contracts, and put up 5.4 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 14 games (13.9 MPG) for the Timberwolves, Wizards, Bucks, and Jazz.

Monroe hasn’t been an NBA regular for the last several years and continues to add new stops to his international résumé. His first move overseas came in 2019, when he joined Germany’s Bayern Munich. Since then, he has also played in Russia and China. He left his Chinese club, the Shanxi Loongs, this January.

Monroe’s new team, Osos de Manatí, competes in Puerto Rico’s top basketball league, Baloncesto Superior Nacional. The 2023 BSN season will tip off on March 22.

And-Ones: Monroe, Hukporti, Davis, In-Season Tourney

Longtime NBA center Greg Monroe has left his Chinese club, the Shanxi Loongs, after appearing in 10 games, according to Sportando.

Monroe averaged 11.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in those contests. He signed with the Chinese team last month.

Monroe played with four NBA teams last season, mostly on 10-day contracts as the league was dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak. Monroe played for the Timberwolves, Wizards, Bucks and Jazz before rejoining Minnesota in April. He appeared in 14 total games, averaging 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per night.

We have more from the basketball world:

  • German center and NBA prospect Ariel Hukporti plans to stay with Melbourne United next season, according to another Sportando story. Hukporti is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury that occurred during a preseason game. Last year, he averaged 6.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 14 minutes per game in the Australian pro league.
  • Veteran big man Ed Davis is still hoping for another shot to play in the NBA, Sam Yip of HoopsHype writes. “I still work out four times a week,” he said. “I’m not staring at my phone all day waiting for my agent to call me. But if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, I’m fine either way.” Davis recently assisted in combine for the Basketball Africa League in Paris, France.
  • Rights to the oft-discussed in-season tournament are likely to be part of the NBA’s next television package, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. The existing deal expires after the 2023/24 season. Traditional rights holders and streaming networks are expected to make bids, Goodwill adds.

Greg Monroe Resumes Career In China

Veteran center Greg Monroe has signed with the Shanxi Loongs in the Chinese Basketball Association, tweets international writer Christos Harpidis.

Monroe played with four NBA teams last season, mostly on 10-day contracts as the league was dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak. Monroe signed with the Timberwolves in late December, then spent time with the Wizards, Bucks and Jazz before rejoining Minnesota in April. He appeared in 14 total games, averaging 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per night.

The 32-year-old was selected by the Pistons with the seventh pick in the 2010 draft. He signed with the Bucks as a free agent after five years in Detroit and later spent time with the Suns, Celtics, Raptors and Sixers.

Monroe is no stranger to international basketball. He signed with Bayern Munich in Germany in 2019 and Khimki in Russia in 2020 before returning to the NBA the following season.

Wolves Sign Greg Monroe For Rest Of Season

6:04pm: Monroe has officially signed a contract for the rest of the season, the team announced in a press release.


8:12am: Veteran center Greg Monroe will sign a contract with the Timberwolves that covers the final days of the regular season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The move will cap off an active season for Monroe, who signed a 10-day contract with Minnesota in late December and spent time with the Wizards, Bucks and Jazz as well. He just completed a 10-day deal in Utah that expired Wednesday night. He has played 13 total games, averaging 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per night.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor indicated last month that the Wolves had interest in bringing back Monroe to help with rebounding. Minnesota has a roster opening, so no other move will be necessary. Monroe will be postseason-eligible.

The expected signing removes an option for the Jazz as they look to fill a roster spot ahead of the postseason, notes Ryan McDonald of The Deseret News. Utah added Monroe after injuries to backup centers Hassan Whiteside, who has since returned, and Udoka Azubuike, who is out for the season.

McDonald adds that one possibility for Utah is converting the two-way contract of Trent Forrest so he would be eligible for the playoffs.

Jazz Sign Greg Monroe To 10-Day Deal

MARCH 28: The Jazz have officially signed Monroe to his 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. The deal will run through April 6.


MARCH 27: Veteran center Greg Monroe will sign a 10-day contract with the Jazz, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Utah will be the fourth team of the season for Monroe, who previously played on 10-day contracts with the Timberwolves, Wizards and Bucks. He has appeared in a total of 10 games this season, averaging 5.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14 minutes per night.

As backup center Hassan Whiteside battles a right foot sprain, Monroe will provide insurance on the depth chart behind Rudy Gobert as the Jazz try to hang onto fourth place in the Western Conference. With 14 days left in the regular season, the 31-year-old will have an opportunity to audition for a spot on Utah’s playoff roster.

The Timberwolves had interest in re-signing Monroe, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Naz Reid‘s foot injury may put the Wolves in the market for a big man.

Utah has an opening on its 15-man roster, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary. If Monroe officially signs today or Monday, he will be eligible for five games during the 10-day deal.

Wolves Notes: Cauley-Stein, Edwards, Beverley, Ownership

In an appearance on Darren Wolfson’s The Scoop podcast at SKOR North, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said that Minnesota is considering adding a free agent who could help improve the team’s rebounding numbers.

Asked specifically if the Wolves could bring back veteran center Greg Monroe, who was on a 10-day deal with the club earlier this season, Taylor responded, “We’re looking at a number of possibilities.”

According to Wolfson, one possible target the Wolves have discussed internally is Willie Cauley-Stein, who recently spent time in Philadelphia on a 10-day deal. Cody Zeller, who was waived last month while recovering from a procedure on his knee, isn’t currently considered an option, Wolfson adds.

Here’s more out of Minnesota:

  • Anthony Edwards has missed the Timberwolves’ last four games due to knee soreness, but Taylor is confident the injury is not a major issue. “We’re dealing with some swelling and some pain,” Taylor told Wolfson. “We just want to buy a little time, but it’s nothing major or anything that will keep him from being out there soon.”
  • Taylor doesn’t anticipate a significant offseason roster shakeup in Minnesota. “Most players are already signed for next year, so there won’t be major changes,” he told Wolfson.
  • One player who had been on track for unrestricted free agency this summer was guard Patrick Beverley, but he signed a one-year, $13MM extension with the Wolves in February. Taylor said that was a fairly straightforward negotiation, since both sides had interest in continuing the relationship, and that the main issue was deciding on the length of the contract. Beverley “preferred to add something longer,” according to Taylor, who said the team wanted to maintain some flexibility beyond 2022/23.
  • Asked by Wolfson if the plan is still for Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore to assume majority control of the Timberwolves in December 2023, Taylor replied, “Probably.” Pressed on whether it could happen sooner than next December or later than that, Taylor said that both scenarios are possible, indicating that nothing is set in stone yet.

Greg Monroe Signs 10-Day Contract With Bucks

12:27pm: Milwaukee has officially signed Monroe to a 10-day deal, the team announced in a press release.


8:10am: The Bucks have agreed to a 10-day contract with veteran center Greg Monroe, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Milwaukee has an open roster and don’t have anyone in protocols, so it appears it’ll be a standard 10-day deal.

According to Scotto, Monroe had multiple 10-day offers before choosing the defending champions. Monroe signed 10-day contracts with the Timberwolves and Wizards under the hardship exception earlier this season and appeared in five games. He averaged 5.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG and 2.4 APG in 16.2 MPG.

Prior to this season, Monroe hadn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2018/19 campaign. In 637 career games, Monroe has averaged 13.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 2.1 APG. Monroe began his career with Detroit after being drafted in the 2010 lottery.

This is his second stint with Milwaukee. He appeared in 165 games with the Bucks from 2015-17.

Brook Lopez hasn’t played since the season opener and underwent back surgery in early December. Bobby Portis and Giannis Antetokounmpo have played out of position in his absence.

Greg Monroe Signs 10-Day Deal With Wizards

JANURY 6: Monroe’s signing is official, the Wizards announced in a press release.


JANUARY 5: Greg Monroe, whose 10-day contract with the Timberwolves is set to expire tonight, won’t be re-signed by Minnesota, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News, who reports (via Twitter) that the veteran center has lined up a deal with a new team. Monroe is expected to sign a 10-day contract with the Wizards, says Wolfson.

After being out of the NBA since 2019, Monroe got an opportunity to make a comeback during December’s league-wide COVID-19 outbreak and played a legitimate rotation role with the Wolves. In three games (21.0 MPG), he averaged 6.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.3 BPG.

The Wizards don’t have an open spot on their 15-man roster, so they’ll likely use a hardship exception to add Monroe. While Minnesota no longer has any players in the health and safety protocols, Washington currently has a league-high seven players affected.

The Wizards have six players on 10-day contracts at the moment, so if players start exiting the COVID-19 protocols, they may no longer be eligible for another hardship addition — teams qualify for one hardship replacement for each player in the protocols. However, five of those six active 10-day deals will expire by Sunday, so the team could always terminate one of them a day or two early if necessary.

And-Ones: P. Jones, Mac, Clark, Opportunities, Hardship Deals

Perry Jones and Sheldon Mac are the latest players attempting NBA comebacks, agent Harrison Gaines tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (via Twitter). The two players will be entering the G League player pool.

Jones was the 28th overall pick of the 2012 draft for the Thunder and played three seasons with the team, last appearing in 2014/15. In 143 career games, Jones holds averages of 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.7 minutes.

The 29-year-old Mac appeared in 30 games for the Wizards in 2016/17, holding modest averages of 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per contest.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Veteran forward Earl Clark has joined Miami’s G League squad, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. It was reported last week that Clark had signed a G League deal.
  • The opportunities for players caused by COVID-19 absences are no laughing matter, write Jon Krawczynski and Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Krawczynski and Weiss note that Timberwolves players who’d been out of the team’s rotation (Jake Layman, Nathan Knight, Jaylen Nowell) or out of the NBA (Greg Monroe) are trying to make the most of their newfound minutes. “I’m not quitting,” Monroe said. “I believe I belong in the NBA. So I’ll just come out and play wherever it is, as hard as I can.”
  • Michael Scotto of HoopsHype takes a behind the scenes look at what it’s like for players on hardship deals. Scotto spoke to Brandon Knight, Lance Stephenson and Joe Johnson about their new NBA opportunities.
  • There was a slight change to the NBA’s COVID-19 isolation rules for players outside of a team environment, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. The change has no bearing on a return to team activities, so players who enter the health and safety protocols will still be required to remain away from the team for six days, unless they return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

Northwest Notes: Monroe, Trail Blazers, Reed, Ingles

Reflecting the chaos that COVID-19 has brought to the NBA, the league has already set a record for the most players used in one season with 541, according to an ESPN story. The man who broke the record was veteran center Greg Monroe — he signed a 10-day hardship contract with the Timberwolves on Monday after being out of the league for more than two years.

Monroe, who had been with the Capital City Go-Go in the G League, looked ready to play in his first game, posting 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block in 25 minutes. The Wolves even ran their offense through Monroe as they closed out a narrow win over the Celtics.

“He’s so experienced. He gives us a different look, some legit size and beef,” coach Chris Finch told Patrick Donnelly of The Associated Press. “His rebounding was great. Again, you can just throw it to him and things kind of calm down.”

The game capped off a hectic day for Monroe, who woke up at 4 a.m. in search of a flight, arrived in Minnesota seven hours later and had to pass a COVID test before he could go to the arena. He met his new teammates shortly before the game and admitted not being familiar with all of them.

“I’m not gonna lie: Jaylen Nowell played awesome tonight. I didn’t know who he was,” Monroe said. “I think he played awesome, but that was my first time seeing him. The game is the same, the people change. Tonight, it’s a young guy taking advantage of an opportunity.”

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

  • After avoiding the COVID-19 outbreak for the first two months of the season, the Trail Blazers have been hit hard this week, playing Monday without eight players and two coaches, including head coach Chauncey Billups, writes Casey Holdahl of NBA.com. “We know what we’re going through and we know it’s not going to be easy,” acting head coach Scott Brooks said after losing to Dallas. “We’ve just got to keep fighting. Chauncey has done a great job of instilling there’s no excuses around here. That’s part of developing, that’s part of growing up in this league. It’s easy to put your head down — we didn’t have this guy, we didn’t have this guys to match up with their size advantage — but we didn’t.”
  • Davon Reed, who is on his second 10-day contract with the Nuggets under the hardship exemption, said playing for coach Michael Malone has been “transformative for my career,” tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
  • Jazz forward Joe Ingles is starting to create trade buzz, per Zach Lowe of ESPN. Rival teams believe Utah may be able to add a valuable piece for a playoff run by parting with Ingles and a first-round pick.