ATLANTA _ Greg Monroe will become the newest 76er on Thursday, a team source said.
The veteran big man will replace reserve center Justin Patton, whom the Sixers will waive. Monroe will likely be available for Thursday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound center/power forward also will be eligible for the postseason.
The Sixers will look to Monroe to add a veteran presence in the frontcourt. They like that he has playoff experience. The nine-year veteran played in six playoff games with the Bucks in 2017 and 11 playoff games with the Boston Celtics last season. He was a backup on both teams.
The source said the signing has nothing to do with Joel Embiid's health issues. Wednesday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks will mark the third consecutive game and 13th he's missed this season because of tendinitis in his left knee.
Monroe, 28, will be joining his fourth Atlantic Division squad this season. He signed with the Toronto Raptors on Aug. 10, and the Raptors traded him to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 7. The Nets waived him later that day. Then he signed a 10-day contract with Celtics on March 24, and that deal expired Tuesday.
Monroe has averaged 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 629 career games. The Detroit Pistons selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Georgetown.
Patton played in three games this season for the Sixers, averaging 1.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in seven minutes. The second-year player was acquired with Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 12 for Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second-round pick.
