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Pistons big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe are among the players invited to USA Basketball’s July minicamp. The organization announced the 27-man roster this afternoon that includes the past two rookies of the year in point guards Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard. The invite is considered a possible steppingstone for players to represent the U.S. at the 2014 World Cup in Madrid and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “It’s an honor to be invited to participate in the Team USA camp along with this group of great young players,” Drummond said in the team release. “I’m looking forward to the experience and hope to learn from it.” Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, USA Basketball, Andre Drummond 

Monroe reiterated his support of management and coaches Sunday. "I'm just going to come out and be the best player I can be for this team and everything else will fall into place," he said. "I trust everybody, at each level, in what they're trying to do. So I'm not worried about any moves that's being made." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Joe Dumars 

With the media speculating on Pistons coach Lawrence Frank’s future with the organization, one player offered some support this morning. Greg Monroe, nearing the end of his third season, said after this morning’s shoot-around that Frank has “done a good job” and deserves to return. “Yeah, I think he’s done a good job here,” Monroe said before tonight’s game against the Cavs. “There are a lot guys that have been in and out and new players here. I think once he gets a group of guys, a core that you know will be here, I think it’ll be easier for him.” Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Coaching, Lawrence Frank 

He doesn't get involved in personnel matters but, unsolicited, he went to the front office during the college basketball season and asked the Pistons to take a long hard look at Andre Drummond. "I mean, there's always somebody every year who can help your team," Monroe said. "I'm not sure of everyone who's a (free agent) but there's someone who can help us." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Free Agency, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

Of course, players feel they're always one player away, but it's hard for most to see that on the outside looking in. That said, he's ready to give his opinion if called upon. "If he puts some people that he has in mind in front of me, if he asks me my opinion, I'll give it," Monroe said. "It doesn't mean it'll be the right one or that they'll go ahead with it, but if he asks me, of course, I'll answer. Our better days are definitely ahead." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Free Agency, Greg Monroe 

As for Monroe's future, contract talks with the Pistons could begin after his third year, which would be this summer, but Falk said the sides will put things off until July 2014, when Monroe will become a restricted free agent. "Greg isn't gonna go backwards between his third and fourth year," Falk said. "I don't think I've ever done an extension after a third year. In the 90's you maxed out a guy after his second, but the (CBA) rules are different now." "When I evaluate things, with a player of Greg's stature: Take the money out of the equation. I can get it from five different teams. 'Are there players I want to play with? A coach I want to play for? A city I want to live in?' My job is to make the money as insignificant as possible (relatively)." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

Only time will tell what road the Pistons and their big man are headed down. "What incentive does a player have to do an extension after his third year? For me personally, it's difficult to do that," Falk said. "Larry (Bird) offered a significant extension. The structure of the CBA, for me, I can't speak for others, I question why that makes sense. "Do you want to play in a warm-weather market? A big city? For Roy Hibbert he was comfortable in a small market. Some players feel the opposite." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

Chad Ford: Nope. I'm told Monroe is untouchable. They do like Cousins, but won't give up Monroe and given Drummond's strong play, there's an increasing feeling in Detroit that they can't trade him either. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Trade, Greg Monroe 

Vincent Goodwill: DMC on Greg: "I don't like being compared to anybody but it's no disrespect being compared to Greg. Very underrated player" #Pistons Twitter @vgoodwill

Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, Greg Monroe 

Being a player who can consistently be depended upon for 16 and 10 every night, it would be understandable if Monroe started to press a little — something he vehemently denies. But he intimated his lack of offensive flow stems from being used differently than usual. "I'm not fighting anything, I'm doing what I can when I can," Monroe said after Friday night's 108-104 loss to the Bulls. "If I had an off game, it might've been one (recently). That was on me. I'm not in positions I'm normally in to be successful. "Games where I might've had a good game or you guys might call it a good game, I wasn't in those positions as I've been in the past few games." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

It sometimes takes a while for young big men to find their way in the NBA, and that has been the case with Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe. Selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the Georgetown product is starting to come into his own as an NBA big man. “You just have to come out and work, let the game come to you,” Monroe tells HOOPSWORLD of his approach. “My coaches and my teammates have put me in a lot of good positions to be successful, so I just try to execute and try to follow through with the plans and do what I know I can do within myself. At the end of the day, I just want to make sure I’m making plays and I’m willing to do anything to help my team win.” HoopsWorld

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

Throw out the first three games, in fact, and Monroe’s averages for the season would be 19.1 points. 10. 9 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He shot 40 percent in the first three games, 52.2 percent since and 61.5 percent over the last three. “Just got into a better rhythm,” he said after Tuesday’s practice before the Pistons departed for Orlando and their Thanksgiving eve game with the Magic. “The game becomes a little bit easier. I feel like I’m in a good place right now, but it’s more importantly about the whole team and not about me individually. I’m trying to do whatever I can to help my team win.” NBA.com

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

Monroe has faced a lack of attention since he was drafted, with temperamenal but explosive big man DeMarcus Cousins always getting more of the attention. Monroe, for his part, thinks that the only way he's going to wind up getting the attention he probably deserves is if he improves and the team starts winning. "I have to continue to improve. Winning takes the front end of any sport. You won't ever get that attention until you become a good player on a winning team. So I focus on winning and trying to improve." CBSSports.com

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

Monroe's left-handed hook is his go-to, something he learned at arguably the best big-man school in the country, Georgetown. "[The hook] is something that I've been able to use my whole life, basically," Monroe said. "It's something I really improved on at Georgetown, working on it so much. I'll never go away from it, it's something I'll always count on." So what makes for a great hook? "Just positioning. Positioning your body, full extension, the things you read about. It may sound crazy, but it's the simple things, just being fundamental with it." CBSSports.com

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

Keith Langlois: The Pistons waive Flynn, Williams and pick up options on Monroe and Knight Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Jonny Flynn, Greg Monroe, Terrence Williams, Brandon Knight 

In person, Drummond looks the part of an NBA center and it is hard not to be impressed, something that is not lost on his new teammates. “He definitely has the tools to be a really good big man,” Greg Monroe said. “As far as the mental part of the game, he has a ways to go, but as far as the physical skills, he is one of those guys who, any ceiling he reaches, you won’t be surprised because of the physical tools he is blessed with.” HoopsWorld

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

Kim English: Never been around a more skilled and fundamentally polished, Big man than Greg Monroe. Extremely high basketball IQ. Twitter @Englishscope24

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Kim English 

Even though the small forward position is crowded with Tayshaun Prince and Corey Maggette, it'll be hard to keep Singler on the bench because of his ability to hit threes and his basketball IQ. "He makes us more athletic," Pistons big man Greg Monroe said. "He's a smart player." Singler said: "I'm here getting to know my teammates." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Corey Maggette, Greg Monroe, Tayshaun Prince, Kyle Singler 

Greg Monroe told Pistons.com that rookie Andre Drummond was a "beast on the boards" during a recent camp in Las Vegas. Drummond, who turned 19 this month, wouldn't go that far, but he appreciated the compliment. But Drummond did say attending longtime NBA assistant Tim Grgurich's camp was time well spent. "There was nobody in the gym; it was just us playing basketball, and it was great," Drummond said. "I was just trying to get better as a player. I wasn't trying to do anything to crazy. "I was just trying to get out there to work on things I need to work on to become a better player." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

But the Pistons are preparing for any contingency, which means Greg Monroe’s summer – which he enthusiastically calls “a very productive summer for me” – has been at least partially devoted to preparing to play power forward in case the two 7-footers lock up available minutes at center. “They basically said I need to be prepared to play power forward,” Monroe told me after a lengthy workout Monday at the team’s practice facility. “They’re looking for at least one of those guys to be ready, so I’ve started to prepare myself to be ready to play the four. We’ve been working on stuff to have me in those positions.” NBA.com

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe