Greg Monroe was at an impasse with the Detroit Pistons, his always marginal leverage waning, his restricted free agency stale and lusterless, his options finite, toeing the line of nonexistence.
So he fought back.
There was only one thing for him to do if he wished to gain the upper hand and flip the traditional restricted-free-agency script: take Detroit's qualifying offer and bet on himself in a way no team has or will.
This is just what he did.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports that Monroe has "informed the Detroit Pistons' he will accept the qualifying offer, play for Detroit in 2014-15 and become an unrestricted free agent next summer."
With this largely unprecedented decision, everything changes for Monroe.
The Play
Accepting that qualifying offer worth nearly $5.5 million is a last resort. It's something prominent restricted free agents don't do.
Signing a long-term deal guarantees financial security. Commit the next four or five years to Detroit, and Monroe would be set for life no matter what ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Dan Favale