The Celtics will be Monroe’s third team this season. In November he was traded from Milwaukee to Phoenix in exchange for disgruntled point guard Eric Bledsoe. Earlier this week Monroe agreed to a buyout from the Suns.
Boston has been believed to be active on the trade market in their search for additional scoring off the bench. Monroe is averaging 11.3 points per game this season.
Monroe will reportedly ink a one-year, $5-million deal with the Celtics, who were granted extra salary cap room as a result of the Gordon Hayward injury.
Phoenix was limited in how it could trade Monroe, whose contract is also expiring. Due to the size of the contract, the Suns would have had to take back close to the same amount of money in a straight swap, or get involved in a three- or four-team deal involving more salaries.
Monroe is expected to clear waivers on Saturday. Monroe agreed to a contract with the Phoenix Suns on January 31. Monroe chose the Celtics over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Monroe gives the Celtics a scoring option in the paint. Monroe is a great scoring option inside, which gives Boston another element to their team that is expected to make a deep playoff run.
New Orleans also tried to make a run at Monroe, offering Monroe the starting center job. The thought if playing in his hometown intrigued Monroe, however, the Pelicans could offer Monroe just 2.2 million.
The Celtics have desperately needed an offensive threat when Irving goes to the bench and Monroe could see plenty of touches with reserve units. His biggest competition for minutes will come from Daniel Theis, an offseason import from Germany who has slowly emerged as a key rotation player. For the month of January, Theis averaged 6.3 points and 5.1 rebounds over 16.4 minutes per game. He also shot 47.6 percent beyond the 3-point arc in January and gives maximum effort on both ends.
