The Toronto Raptors have agreed to terms with big man Greg Monroe, according to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania. The deal is for the veteran's minimum of one year, $2.2 million.
Monroe last played for the Boston Celtics after getting traded from the Phoenix Suns, getting sparse minutes off the bench in the playoffs. He has previously played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons, who drafted him 7th overall in 2010.
Monore has career averages of 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and the big lefty is known throughout the league as a bruiser down low who uses his large frame to bully smaller opponents on the block and shift players out of the way in order to rack up rebounds.
Although he is not a 3-point shooter, Monroe has a solid mid-range jumper and can stretch the floor a little for newly acquired superstar Kawhi Leonard, sharpshooter Danny Green and Kyle Lowry.
Monroe will more then likely come off the bench and play a role similar to the one he had on the Celtics, as the Raptors still have Jonas Valanciunas as their starting center. Perhaps we will get a glimpse of a super-sized lineup that includes both Valanciunas and Monroe, but new coach Nick Nurse will probably want to stagger the two centers minutes for the most part. While Serge Ibaka remains in the fold as a key player who can play center, Monroe is a solid replacement for Jakob Poeltl, who was included in the Leonard trade.
The Raptors continue to reshape their team this offseason, with the goal of building around Leonard. The acquisition of Monroe adds depth to a team that is already considered one of the contenders in the Eastern Conference.
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