Greg Monroe's agent says he's not seeking trade

Two days after Greg Monroe said he wasn't seeking a trade from the Detroit Pistons, his agent, David Falk, emphatically reiterated his client's position.

"He made a commitment to Stan (Van Gundy) when he took the qualifying offer that he would work as hard as he could and help the team as best that he could and he would keep his mind open and at the end of the season, he would evaluate all of his options," Falk said. "That was his plan in July, and that's his plan in December and that will probably be his plan in February and will be his plan when the season ends."

Their comments were in response to a Sporting News story that suggested Monroe wanted out of Detroit at any cost. Falk refuted that.

"Greg is an intelligent man. I've represented him from day one. There are no other credible sources who would indicate if wants a trade," Falk said. "He does not want a trade. He wants to honor his commitment to Stan and give it the year and evaluate everything at the end of the season."

Monroe, who was a restricted free agent in the summer, took the rare step of signing a qualifying offer instead of reaching an extension with the Pistons or signing an offer sheet with another team that the Pistons could match. Monroe made a calculated risk to forsake financial stability for a chance at unrestricted free agency in July – when the salary cap is expected to increase and almost half the league will have space to sign Monroe.

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Teams have been calling the Pistons, asking about Monroe's availability in a trade. But they keep getting the same answer: Monroe, who must approve any trade because he accepted Detroit's one-year qualifying offer, is not interested an in-season trade for several reasons.

It's not 100% deal-breaker, but Monroe is not enamored about the idea of joining a team mid-season, without a training camp to learn a new system.

Monroe, 24, also wants to retain his Bird rights – an in-season trade on a qualifying offer would negate that – in case a team Monroe wants to play for after this season doesn't have the cap space to sign him to the deal he seeks. That team could obtain him in a sign-and-trade with the Pistons.

Here's another important piece to Monroe waiting until the summer – beyond preferring to have his choice. Why would a team want to give up a player or draft pick for Monroe when that teams knows it can get Monroe without giving up assets? And look at it from Monroe's perspective: he wants a team to keep its assets so it can be as good as possible when he joins.

Monroe carefully made his decision, and with the Pistons nowhere near a playoff team, he has just four more months of this situation. Sure he's frustrated by losing, but Detroit has not won more than 30 games in a season since it drafted Monroe as the No. 7 pick in 2010. He can wait it out.

"Greg has a great deal of respect for Stan and even though Greg is frustrated by the losing, he knows Stan is a terrific coach," Falk said.

Monroe is averaging 15 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists and has eight double-doubles. Atlanta had interest in the summer and may have interest again in July. It's also not a stretch to picture Monroe with the New York Knicks and the triangle offense. But there will be other teams looking for a big man, too.

More than anything, the Pistons are scrambling. They mismanaged the Monroe situation, failing to sign him to an extension and betting he would sign an offer sheet and they would match. They also did not trade Monroe, and now they're in a position where it's likely they will lose their 2010 lottery pick for nothing.

Regardless of the deal Monroe receives, he will get paid in the summer with the salary cap escalating. It might not be a max salary, but Monroe and Falk have made clear it's not about top dollar. Other factors, quality of life and quality of team, will come into play: Is there a city in which Monroe wants to live? Is there a coach for which he wants to play? Or a player or players for with he wants to play? Or a certain franchise he wants to join?

All those factors and comments make it high unlikely Monroe agrees to a trade this season.