The Pistons desperately needed help in the front court, especially at the center position. Monroe has the length and height to play center, and also gives them a big man who can put the ball on the floor. Given what was available, it's hard to be disappointed by this pick.
For a big man, Monroe has a pretty diverse toolkit. Unlike most centers his age, he can move with the ball, pass, and cut to the basket. This gives me confidence that he will find ways to be useful right off the bat.
The biggest questions surrounding Monroes are his weight and his turnover numbers. The latter is a product of creating shots for himself and others, but coaches tend to overreact to turnovers from their bigs, and there is such a thing as trying to do too much. Turnovers are a major coaching pet peeve, so there is a possibility he'll spend time on the bench in spite of his skills.
There are some who suggest the weight issue demonstrates a lack of concern for his game. Will he become another Rasheed Wallace type, who has the skills to take over on offense, but doesn't seem inclined to use them?
If so, that would bode for his future prospect. Wallace is a freakish talent, and Monroe is not.
On the flip side, you could make the case that, with better training, Monroe could drop the weight and become an even more effective player. Still, the fact is that he can do some things better than any other big man of the last two years. That’s what I want from a lottery pick.
I commend the choice. Do you?