Greg Monroe says he was “blindsided” when the Milwaukee Bucks shipped him to Phoenix in exchange for Eric Bledsoe this week.
Greg Monroe was surprised by the trade that sent him to Phoenix. https://t.co/eKv8nXlOJX
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 10, 2017
The veteran big man knows he may not be with the rebuilding Suns for long, and says he’s prepared for anything.
Monroe, 27, is in the final year of his deal.
Per ESPN:
“Blindsided,” Monroe said after finishing his first post-practice workout with the Suns. “I honestly didn’t have any clue. But it’s what we signed up for. It could happen to anyone at any moment. My job is to play, that’s what I try to focus on and that’s really it.
“I was surprised, I was just trying to get healthy, get back on the floor and help that team. Now that I’m here, I’ll do the same here. And if it’s somewhere else, I’ll do the same there. My focus doesn’t change; it’s a business and I’m a player so I just try to play.”
The deal, which was finalized on Tuesday, sent Monroe to Phoenix along with protected first- and second-round picks. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that the Suns are hoping to flip the final year of Monroe’s expiring deal before moving forward in potential buyout talks. Monroe said he had a brief conversation about his future with general manager Ryan McDonough.
“I talked to him quickly,” Monroe said. “I just told him I understand the plan they have in place, how they want to approach the season. I told him if you want me to play, I’ll always play. I’ll never be one not to want to play. If not, we’ll just work together, find the best option for everyone. but I’m more than happy to play here. So we’ll just continue to talk and see what happens.”
