After speculation that Boston Celtics center Aron Baynes could possibly miss two weeks due to an ankle sprain, the team reportedly were interested in signing veteran big man Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract. However, it was announced that Baynes could play for the Celtics as early as Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs, and now they may have reversed course on Monroe.
Official now: Greg Monroe did NOT sign with the Boston Celtics today. He will not play at the Charlotte Hornets tonight.
Again, with Aron Baynes' injury not as serious as once feared, Boston may not sign Monroe at all.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 23, 2019
The Celtics wanted insurance in case Baynes missed extended time, and bringing in Monroe would have been a decent move for Boston. The former Toronto Raptors big man averaged 4.8 points on 46 percent shooting and 4.1 rebounds in 38 games this season before being traded to and waived by the Brooklyn Nets during the trade deadline last month.
When given a decent amount of minutes, Monroe can be an average two-way player. In fact, in his nine seasons in the league, he has averaged 13.2 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the field. However, the Celtics probably didn't want to add another player this late in the season, especially since Baynes' injury wasn't that serious.
Baynes has averages of 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 43 games this season, but his defense has been essential for the Celtics' success. He has been able to hold opponents to a respectable 56 percent when shooting within six feet of the rim.
Although Monroe is a younger, more athletic player than Baynes, the Celtics would prefer to stick with the player they've had all season rather than someone who hasn't played in more than a month.
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