I agree that he was slow on the pick n rolls, and he's not a rim protector so he struggles on drives. It was his first game back, so I am wondering if he will get a bit quicker as the season goes on. And again, I don't think he's suited to play the 5. I think he needs a rim protector around him.
He wasn't stellar on Defense, I wouldn't say he was even good on defense. I am saying he isn't a shit big, and I am saying that the first quarter was the result of a 3 point barrage mostly. I don't think Capela necessarily outplayed Monroe in this game, either.
I talked with a couple people at work today about Greg Monroe (one watched the game and one didn't, both watch a lot of basketball). And they believe that he is a good player as well, that he can do a lot of positive things for a team, but that indeed him not being a rim protector makes it tough for him to play the 5 (Even though he has put up good numbers in that position in the past, and I shared some of them above).
To say point blank he is a "shit big", is ignorant.
I, like Jay Triano, thought he had a solid debut in this game.
Greg Monroe Gets Double-Double vs Rockets
The Suns traded for Greg Monroe on November 7, but the center hadn’t played yet due to a calf injury. That changed on Thursday as Monroe not only suited up, but was placed in the Suns starting lineup against the Rockets.
The game against may not have gone the Suns way, but that did not stop Monroe from having an impressive debut. The big man finished with 20 points on 71 percent from the field to go along with his 11 rebounds.
“The only guy in our lineup with four years of experience, and he just knows how to play the game and lets the game come to him,” Head Coach Jay Triano said. “He wasn’t overpowering in any way, but he was very solid, very solid.”
Stan Van Gundy would also welcome him back to Detroit, and his improved defense last season with the Bucks was noticed.
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2017/11/15/detroit-pistons-greg-monroe/859633001/He has always been a skilled offensive threat, but there are defensive concerns.
But he addressed those concerns as the hub of the second unit in the Bucks’ playoff push last season.
Those are two reasons Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy wouldn’t mind coaching Monroe again.