The Pistons should strike while Lakers are desperate

The Lakers are off to a 0-3 start and have major issues developing. Russell Westbrook continues to be a problem and the teams 3 point shooting is off to a histroically bad start. Could a trade with the Pistons save their season before it spirals out of control? Of course the Lakers would have to make it well worth Troy Weavers while to eat Westbrooks contract. The big question...Is Lakers GM Rob Pelinka desperate enough to give Troy what he wants? This trade idea likely will not be popular with Pistons fans hoping to see the team fight for a playoff or play in spot this season, but it could pay huge dividends to both the short and long term future of the team.

THE TRADE

Lakers get: Bojan Bogdanovich, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel

Pistons get: Russell Westbrook, Lakers 2027 & 2029 unprotected #1 picks.

WHY IT WORKS FOR THE LAKERS

1. Adding Bojan and Burks to the starting lineup would instantly help solve the Lakers 3pt shooting woes while providing better spacing for Lebron and AD.

2. Noel when healthy would be the best pure center on the roster and his $9M expiring salary could be a nice trade piece later in the season.

3. Currently the Lakers are looking to have $30M+ in cap space next offseason and being that Bojan has an expiring deal and both Burks and Noel have team options the Lakers could maintain that future cap fleibility.

4. All 3 players will have bird rights after this season so the Lakers could potentially spend the $30M in cap space they have and then circle back to re-sign all 3 players.

WHY IT WORKS FOR THE PISTONS

1. While the Pistons have expressed intrest in resigning Bojan after the season, at 33 years old he really does not fit the teams time line. Neither Burks and Noel were seen as long term pieces and were likely to be moved at the trade deadline anyway.

2. Unprotected #1 picks are gold on the NBA trade market. To land 2 of them without giving up any of our young core pieces would be a major coup for Troy Weaver.

3. The Eastern conference is loaded with good teams this year and the Pistons chances of making the playoffs or play in tourney this year was very slim.

4. By moving on from the 3 vets now instead of at the trade deadline the Pistons likely increase their lottery odds to land a generational player in Victor Wembanyama.

If the Pistons were to make a trade for Westbrook I can't see him ever playing for the team. i'd have to assume they would either release him right away or tell him to stay home.

Pistons fans should not get their hopes up too high for Free Agency

With the Pistons staying fairly quiet at the trade deadline and the teams goal to keep their draft lottery odds as high as possible fans are already starting to look forward to the 2022-23 season. One of the things that has many excited for the offseason is recent reports that Detroit will have more cap space avaialble then any other team in the NBA at $34 million. That $34M has people dreaming of seeing Miles Bridges, DeAndre Ayton or Jalen Brunson in Pistons blue next year.

Unfortunately when you take a closer look inside the numbers and factor in cap holds for a likely top 5 pick ($8-10M) and on new acquisition Marvin Bagley III ($28.3M) the Pistons will actually be over the salary cap for next season.

Here is a breakdown of the Pistons 2022/2023 Financial Outlook

Acquiring Bagley really put a dent into the Pistons offseason options and makes it almost certain that they plan on him being part of the teams future. If the Pistons make Bagley a qualifying offer, he would be a restricted free agent (Instead of unrestricted) and Detroit will have the right to match any offer sheet signed by Bagely from another team. The other option the Pistons could choose is to renounce Bagley's rights. If that is done Bagley's cap hold comes off the books, he becomes an unrestricted Free Agent and the Pistons would lose his bird rights. This option seems highly unlikely being Detroit just gave up 2 picks to acquire Bagley.

The good news is there will be plenty of time between the end of the season and the begining of free agency for Troy Weaver to clear cap space if he chooses that route. Trades, declined player/team options, or a possible extension for Bagley (with a much lower first year salary then the $28.3M cap hold) could all lead to more money being available. The Pistons will also have access to the cap room MLE (around $5M) and bi-annual exception (around $2.5M) to spend after using up all their cap space.

Bobo - @PistonsBlog

Did the Knicks trade for Cam Reddish to help land Jerami Grant from the Pistons?

From the moment the Cam Reddish to the Knicks trade was announced it did not make much sense to me. The Knicks already had three veterans in Evan Fournier, Alec Burks and RJ Barrett battling for playing time at the wing spots. Plus they are having trouble finding signifigant playing time for their recent #1 picks Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickly and Quentin Grimes. Now they are going to add Reddish into that mix? Cam wasn't happy getting nearly 24 minutes per game with the Hawks, and IMO he's going to be hard pressed to find that many minutes on this current Knicks roster.

The Knicks are well known to be one of the suitors for Jerami Grant. Most of the trade proposals you see floating around on the internet usually included a protected #1 pick, Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox and one of the Knicks mid priced vets (Noel, Walker, Burks). Meanwhile The Pistons were reportedly interested in Cam Reddish but did not have a #1 pick available they could trade for him.

This is where my mind started working and came up with the following scenario. The Pistons liked Toppin from the Knicks offer but perhaps weren't really excited about getting back a protected #1 pick that may not convey for a few years and could end up just being two second rounders. So the Knicks said hey what if we trade that #1 pick you aren't very high on for Cam Reddish who you are interested in and then flip him to Detroit as part of our offer for Grant. Now both teams will end up getting players they covet in a trade. The Knicks end up with Jerami Grant and the Pistons walk away with Cam Reddish & Obi Toppin.

Being that Reddish was just traded to NY, NBA rules prohibit him from being traded along with any other Knicks players for 60 days so if the Pistons and Knicks do agree to a deal with Reddish involved it would need to be done in two seperate trades. Luckily the Pistons have Cory Joseph who could be very useful for the Knicks and matches up perfectly with Cam's $4.6M salary slot. Also since Knox was sent to ATL in the Reddish deal the Pistons would have to take on another mid salaried player instead to make the deal work salary wise.

Here is what i came up with.

There would likely be some draft capital going from NY to DET as well. My guess would be either a protected #1 or a few #2 picks.

I would love this trade if it happens! The Pistons land two high upside young forwards in Reddish & Toppin, some much needed size and a rim protector in Noel, and a total wild card in Walker. Both Walker and Noel are signed through next season (Noel has a team option for 23-24) and those two mid range expiring contracts could be very useful in trades next year for Detroit. I personally would sit Walker for the rest of the season if the Pistons were to acquire him to keep him as healthy as possible for next year

On The Knicks side they get their man in Grant, plus pick up three solid veteran players to help with their playoff run. Lyles would likely pick up Toppins minutes backing up Randle and could also help out Robinson & Gibson as a small ball stretch 5 when needed. Joseph gives them a strong (and fully healthy) PG that is shooting 44% from 3pt range and would be a major upgrade over Kemba defensively. McGruder with his expiring deal could easily be released if someone the Knicks like pops up on the buyout market or be kept to provide extra depth on the wing. This trade would also save the Knicks money on next years cap and open up at least one roster spot in the offseason (two if they decided not to pick up the team option on Lyles).

I've been asked if this was the Knicks plan why wouldn't the Pistons, Knicks and Hawks of made it a 3 way deal when Reddish was sent to the Knicks. The answer is because of Jerami Grant's injury. The Knicks are fighting for a playoff spot and need every win they can get. Trading away players who can help the team win a few games now for a player who will not be able to play for a few weeks would hurt their chances of making the playoffs. Plus ATL may not have been willing to wait to trade Reddish or may have jumped on a different offer if the Knicks didn't act right away.

@PistonsBlog

2 trades I'd like to see the Pistons make on 12/15

The Pistons continue to struggle but changes may be on the way. As most of you know by now, December 15th is the first day players that were signed as free agents in the offseason can be traded. With that in mind there are 2 trades that I would love to see Troy Weaver make once that day arrives.

TRADE 1: DET trades Cory Joseph to TOR for Chris Boucher

Why TOR might be interested. The Raptors are in a need of a backup PG and are loaded with big man depth, When all their bigs are healthy Boucher seems to be the odd man out. Joseph is also a Canadian Olympian and hometown favorite which could help the Pistons cause.

The Pistons desperately need some big man depth and Boucher would get an instant opportunity to earn a roatation spot while Olynyk is out. Boucher thrived last season when given a regular rotation spot but the additions of Scotty Barnes, Precious Achiuwa and Kheem Birch this year has majorly cut into his playing time. This trade would also free up the backup PG job for Saben Lee


TRADE 2: DET sends Josh Jackson to NYK for PG Kemba Walker.

Why the Knicks might be interested: Obviously the Kemba Walker expiriment did not work in New York. Walker not only lost his starting job, he was removed from the rotation completely. With the Knicks fighting for a playoff spot Jackson could be a mouch more useful player for the Knicks this season. Their former backup SF Alec Burks is now the starting PG so Jackson could provide an upgrade there over the little used Kenny Knox. Plus Walker is guaranteed $9.1M next year and that money could be better spent.

My plan would be to shut Kemba down for the rest of the year to rest his knee with the hope that he shows up much healtheir at training camp. If he's healthy i think he could be a dynamic sixth man for this team or even push Killian for the starting job. If healthy and he plays well he could become a major trade asset for the Pistons later that season. The trade is not without risk as Kemba makes $9.1M but if the Pistons can move on from Jospehs $5.1M the net difference of $4M in cap space would be well worth rolling the dice on.

Best case scenario Kemba comes back healthy, challeneges Killian for the starting job and either wins that or settles into a 6th man role. If he stays healthy and plays well he could have major trade value come the 2023 trade deadline.

Worst case scenario he's an overpaid backup PG, just like Cory Joseph would of been for us in 2022-23.

Pistons Depth Chart after trades:

PG: Hayes, Lee, Walker
SG: Cade, FJ, McGruder
SF: Bey, Diallo, Livers
PF: Grant, Bocuher, Lyles
C: Stewart, Olynyk, Garza

Why the F*@% is Rodney McGruder still a Piston?

This is a question I've asked often over the past year, but with the injury to Kelly Olynyk and the potential suspension of Isaiah Stewart, its become much more relevant.

I have nothing personal against Rodney McGruder. He plays hard on the rare occasion his number gets called and is well known to be a great teammate. Coach Casey loves him for his leadership & positive influence on the teams many young players. However when it comes to the on court product, McGruder doesn't move the needle at all. He's buried on the depth chart as the teams 8th wing option and usually only gets off the bench late in blowout games.

Meanwhile the Pistons have been struggling all season to protect the paint and routinely get out rebounded by large margins. Opposing players are having a field day taking the ball to the rim and getting plenty of second chance opportunities when they choose to shoot from the outside. Our undersized starting bigs with the 6'8" Isaiah Stewart & 6'8" Jerami Grant are fine defenisve players, but the two don't strike fear in opponets when they decide to attack the basket. Backups Kelly Olynyk and Trey Lyles both offer more size, but niether player is known for their defense, shot blocking or rebounding skills. Luka Garza is a 7 footer that Casey doesn't seem to trust enough yet to make him a regular in the rotation or play him meaningful minutes even with Olynyk out.

Would cutting McGruder and signing a FA big off the street solve these problems up front for the Pistons? No. However it would give the team a better oopportunity to play competitive baseketball, the needed depth to get through these injuries/suspensions and perhaps help the team win a few more games. The Pistons could even strike gold and find a useful rotation player for beyond this season like we did when the Pistons took a chance on Christian Wood instead of keeping Joe Johnson.

If/when McGruder is released i'm sure the Pistons would bring him back as a "consultant" or sign him to the Motor City Cruise in the G League if he is goes unclaimed on waivers and/or is not signed by another team. Rodney is getting his full salary regardless since he's on a guaranteed deal. This way he would still remain part of the team and continue to provide his valuable leadership/mentoring skills to our young players.

Should the Pistons consider trading Jerami Grant?

Though many Pistons fans (including myself) would hate to see it happen, I believe the Pistons should strongly consider trading Jerami Grant ASAP while his value is still sky high & his excellent 2020-21 season is still fresh on the minds of NBA GM's. With Cade Cunningham starting to assert himself on offense, Grants scoring numbers (and trade value) will likely take a hit. While Grant is an above average player & a strong defender, only his scoring avg last season and career 3pt shooting percentage stand out as superior when looking at his stats. He's a below average rebounder for a PF and doesn't block many shots either. If Grants scoring drops from an average of 23 PPG last year to say 17 PPG this season, Jerami would go from having the numbers of an all-star caliber player to looking like an Evan Fournier clone on the stat sheet. While Fournier is a solid player, there is not one team in the NBA that would give up much in a trade for him.

I think Grant is a hell of a player and would love to see him stay here for the long haul, but does he feel the same way? Even if the PIstons choose not to trade him there is no guarantee Jerami will decide to stay in Detroit when his contract expires after next season. Cashing Grant in now while he is at peak value just may be the best move for the future of the Pistons.

Two potential ways the Pistons can trade for Marvin Bagley before 12/15

There have been plenty of rumors that have linked the Pistons to Marvin Bagley of the Kings, but as most have realized the Pistons don't currently have the players avaialble salary wise to match up in a deal for him due to the recently signed player rule. The rule prohibits any player that reached free agency and is signed during the offseason to be traded until after the 60th day of the league year. That date this season is December 15th. The only players the Pistons can currently trade are Cade, Grant, Bey, Stewart, Hayes, Josh Jackson, Garza and Livers. Out of those 7, the only 2 players i could see being in play for a Bagley deal are JJ and possibly Livers. However thier combinded salaries of $6M is not enough to trade for Bagley and his $11.3M conract.

The problem is with Kelly Olynyk injured the Pistons could really use Bagley now. There is a potential solution to make it happen. If Troy Weaver can find a higher salaried player that he can trade Josh Jackson (and potentially Livers) for, the Pistons could then turn around and swap that player for Bagley once the first trade is processed. That player needs to make at least $6.4M to be traded for Bagely. NOTE: The player we acquire to swap for Bagley will not be able to be aggragated (traded) with any other Pistons player for either 45 or 60 days (not 100% sure what it is) so he must have a salary high enough to be traded straight up for Bagley

One player who could be traded for Jackson and just barely fits over the $6.4M salary required for Bagely is SF Jarrett Culver of Memphis. He is eligible to be traded now and rarely ever gets off the bench for the team. JJ was well liked during his time with the Grizzlies in 2019 so i'd imagine they would not mind saving $1.4M to be reunited with him. Would the Kings be interested in Culver? That i really can't say however it is well known Sacramento would like to move on from Bagley and are looking for depth at the SG/SF spots. Like Bagely, Culver is a recent top 10 pick who has yet to make his mark in the NBA and could use a fresh start. The trade would also save the Kings $5M which could help motivate management/ownership to sign off on the deal.

Another player who would work salary wise is the Pacers SG Jeremy Lamb. The Pistons would need to include Isaiah Livers with JJ to absorb Lambs $10.5 salary. Ideally the Kings or Pacers will give Detroit back a future #2 pick as compensation for losing Livers but I wouldn't let that be a deal breaker. The beneifit for the Pacers to make this trade is saving $4M by repalcing Lamb with Jackson as a backup and getting a cheap flyer on a decent prospect. For Sacramento, Lamb has a much more proven track record in the NBA then Culver and they would still save $1M.