Toronto Raptors: Does Greg Monroe have a role on this team?

Six games into the regular season, free agent signing Greg Monroe has contributed virtually nothing to the Toronto Raptors.

There’s been very little to nitpick about the hot start of the Toronto Raptors. With wins in each of their first six games, the team is quickly trending toward contender status.

That being said, not everything is perfect for the Raptors. A strong start is just masking the (small) problems the team will have to deal with down the road.

One of those problems is Greg Monroe.

Toward the end of the offseason, Toronto decided to take a flyer on the veteran big man, signing him to a minimum deal despite his questionable fit with the modern NBA.

So far, his problematic fit hasn’t been apparent because head coach Nick Nurse isn’t even putting him on the floor. Through six games, Monroe has seen the court just once, playing a grandiose four minutes in the victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

It’s hard to assess how he did during that one stint on the court. He made all of his shots (one!) and grabbed two rebounds. He even dished out an assist.

Monroe hasn’t seen the court since then.

Luckily, he has some company on the bench with Delon Wright, who has also only entered one game this season. Wright has been dealing with an injury lately, however, giving him an understandable excuse for his absence.

Monroe has no such explanation, outside of his lack of evolution in the modern NBA.

Most average fans of the sport can name the biggest trend of late: the constant need to take (and make) 3-point shots. If you don’t have that shot in your arsenal, your time on the court is going to be limited.

Saying Monroe can’t shoot 3-pointers is like saying Drake can’t sing opera — you don’t know what you won’t try.

This is Monroe’s ninth season in the NBA. He has attempted 6,310 field goals in his regular season career. Exactly 12 of those have come from 3-point land (and a heavy amount have probably been heaves at the end of quarters).

Last season, Monroe didn’t attempt any 3-pointers.

Learning a new skill when you’re established in your profession is difficult, but possible. Just ask Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, who revitalized his career when he developed a long range shot a couple of seasons back.

Part of the issue is that it doesn’t seem Monroe is particularly eager to adapt to the current whims of the game. Prior to the season, Monroe talked about his game with the Toronto Sun.

"“It’s basketball. The one sport where being tall is cool and they are trying to wash it out,” Monroe stated. “It will come back around.”"

He very well may be right about that, but by the time that rotation is made, Monroe won’t be able to crack a rotation. Nurse has made that clear to this point.

Monroe is only on a one-year deal, so the damage isn’t too bad to Toronto’s bottom line. Still, it’s fair to wonder if the Raptors should’ve used the roster spot on a big man with more of a 3-point pop.

Until the inevitable injury hits, it appears the Raptors have little use for Greg Monroe and his old-fashioned game.