NBA free agency 2018: 6 reasons why Greg Monroe to the Celtics makes sense - SB Nation

The Boston Celtics and free agent center Greg Monroe agreed on a contract through the end of the season worth $5 million. Monroe shunned the New Orleans Pelicans — who offered an opportunity to earn a starting role next to Anthony Davis — and other teams for an opportunity to win in Boston.

The Celtics are the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed and have the third-best record in the NBA behind the Rockets and Warriors. They probably would have been just fine without adding the gifted offensive big man to the rotation. But bringing Monroe onto the roster gives Boston a new dynamic, one that will pose problems to opposing defenses as he and head coach Brad Stevens figure each other out.

The Celtics need help when Al Horford comes out of the game.

With Horford on the bench, Boston averages just 99 points per 100 possessions, coming in nine points fewer than it does with him in the game. That mark of 99 points per 100 possessions would come in at a lower offensive rating than the dead-last Sacramento Kings. The Celtics are also 3.7 points worse per 100 possessions on offense when Aron Baynes is on the floor. Baynes has started alongside Horford, but shares the role of backup center when Horford is on the bench. Monroe projects to be the backup five and can fill-in during moments when Boston needs a bucket with its starting big man on the bench. He's proven he can score. The question is whether the other areas of his game have clicked yet.

Boston is already a really good defensive team, the best to be exact.

The Celtics are the only team with a defensive rating below 100 and are one of two teams, including the Spurs, to allow fewer than 100 points a game. The Suns give up more points per game than any other team, and their defense was more than eight points worse per 100 possessions when Monroe was on the floor. That's pretty ugly, but consider this: Phoenix also isn't coached by Brad Stevens, nor do the Suns have Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum covering the wings. The Celtics should be able to hide some of Monroe's weaknesses with their perimeter defenders.

The Celtics could use the help on the glass

Boston isn't an awful rebounding team, but ranking No. 10 in the league isn't the best, either. The good folks over at Celtics Blog feel Monroe's rebounding will be a plus for his new team.

For his career, the eight-year veteran averages 13.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The rebounding in particular will be a boon to a Celtics squad that still struggles regularly on the glass.

Monroe is a facilitating big man.

Yes he can score on the low block, but an often under-appreciated aspect of Monroe's game is his passing ability. In 2013, he averaged 16 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists with the Pistons. Horford is the league's best passing big man at 5.3 assists per game, and in Stevens' offense, Monroe should get the ball at the elbow often with cutters getting open for him to find them.

Monroe probably won't be asked to do too much.

After all, Boston doesn't really need him. They're the best team in the East, man, they don't really need anything. But having him won't hurt, and much like Brooklyn eased Jahlil Okafor into the rotation, Boston can do the same. Horford already plays the brunt of the minutes at the center spot, and Baynes and Daniel Theis share minutes filling in, too. If Monroe doesn't work out, Stevens doesn't have to play him.

It's just for the rest of the season!

Even if things go terribly wrong, there are no long-term implications for this contract. Monroe becomes a free agent in June, and the Celtics can either make a push to re-sign him if things go well, or wipe their hands clean and move on if it's a wreck. After all, Monroe was a fringe All-Star earlier in his career. With a need at his position, the Celtics had to take a flier on him.

Boston and Monroe paired together to make what could be the biggest signing on the buyout market this season, and if all goes well, he could help the Celtics make a legitimate push toward dethroning LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

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