Greg Monroe envisioned a big money contract this off season, but his restricted label kept teams at bay. It made no sense for teams to compete and waste their time when Detroit was going to match any offer he was given anyway. Via ESPN,
Greg Monroe has signed a $5.48 million, one-year qualifying offer with the Detroit Pistons, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
$5.48 million wasn’t what Monroe was thinking of when he thought big money deal, but now he will be able to play out the year with Detroit and be an unrestricted free agent in 2015. I can’t imagine him returning to Detroit after the way they treated him this off season. Monroe is only 24 years old and was drafted by Detroit in 2010. Monroe averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds last season and is a career 51 percent from the field. While Monroe was holding out to try and find a way to cash in on a bjg contract he must have finally just given up to accept the one year deal. Eric Bledsoe is in the same situation in Phoenix where he is a restricted free agent and has had no real offers. Bledsoe may be in the exact same position signing a one year deal and break free of the Suns’ strangle hold. Detroit has missed the playoffs five years straight and is hoping to finally break in this year after a pretty good off season and with new coach Stan Van Gundy.