Official Detroit Pistons thread

[jaadam4]

And for the record I’d have much preferred trading Grant and #5 for #4 to draft Ivey

[froot loops]

I would have just rather kept Grant than take that pick. A total fucking letdown on the 6 month hype of a Grant trade. GS lost Klay, Durant and Curry to get that #2. If you are expecting that type of fortunate luck to happen to the Pistons, you know the return on the trade is shit.

[jaadam4]

Weaver made the trade for a reason. He has something up his sleeve for signings.

Its prob Bridges

[Cody_Russell]

Seems like all rumors are connecting the Pistons to Ayton right now. Drafting Murray tonight would reduce the need for Bridges.

Also if the Pistons trade for Hayward, they’re helping the Hornets re-sign Bridges basically. I’d do it for two 1sts maybe.

I haven’t heard any Brunson-Pistons rumors lately. That idea could be dead.

Hope the Pistons package #36 and move up for another 1st. Trading up to the late 20s and getting a wing like Christian Braun from Kansas for example. If not, I’m still liking the options that should be available at #36.

[BJK]

ESPN+ (Draft Express) has the Pistons taking Keegan Murray in their latest (post Grant trade) mock draft. No surprise. But here was an interesting blurb a little further at the NYK pick:

11. New York Knicks
Jalen Duren
Memphis
C
Age: 18.5

Coming off a disappointing season, the Knicks desperately need to upgrade at point guard but lack great options to choose from. Trading this pick for an immediate contributor -- i.e., Malcolm Brogdon -- could be attractive here. If they decide to keep the pick, Duren offers a natural succession plan for Mitchell Robinson, who is an unrestricted free agent. He's arguably the most physically gifted big man in the draft, at 6-10, 250 pounds with a 7-5 wingspan, and has a ready-made role from day one as a lob-catching shot-blocker with the huge catch radius he displays, the excellent timing he shows as a rim protector and the way he uses verticality to his advantage. Duren also has significant room for growth in terms of skill level as the game slows down for him as he enters his 20s. Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver is one of Duren's biggest fans in the NBA, sources say, and could very well look to target him in a draft night trade if he continued to slide down the board, especially to Charlotte, which has been identified as a possible trading partner for the Pistons in a potential Gordon Hayward deal.

[froot loops]

I could get behind a Hayward deal if it netted them Duren along with the Murray.pick. I think that Hayward contract is going to be in demand to amke something work for the Lakers.

[Futureshock]

This is my question with this trade.The Pistons have a uncanny ability to amass cap space in years where there isn't much available. People complain about the Charlie V and Ben Gordon signings, a Brad Beal signing would make those signings look quaint.

The move gives the Pistons somewhere between $42 and $55 million in cap space this offseason depending on whether they decline options on players like Frank Jackson and Hamidou Diallo.

Hamidou Yes
Frank No

I like the energy that Hamidou comes with and he gets better and better.
Frank is great when he is hot, but, those times are few and far between. And seemingly fewer by the year.

[Futureshock]

Very true. They can take on any bad trade that they want for future 1sts. I’d be trying to get as many 1st round picks from teams like the Lakers who are trying to stay in the mix for their window.

The point isn't to manipulate the league for future draft.oicks, you have the star in Cade Cunningham now. You need players now, not picks for draft geeks to get hyped up about years down the road. Cap space in the league is overrated, you are much more.likely to just end up with a highly paid stuff than get some bonanza for taking on bad contracts.

Even more so is accumilating a quantity of draft picks. In the NBA it is all about getting superstars, stars and HIGH lottery picks. The rest are just roster fillers.

I'm not liking this trade. A pick in the 20s is slightly better then having a second. If you're depending on that, yeah like Loops said.

I think I think Weaver has a plan. But trading Grant was just a part of it. It is totally possible that he is overly fixated by said plan and didn't look for a better deal. Salary dump part was necessary, but, you gave up talent. My arrow doesn't point to giving away something for basically nothing. And I doubt we own this pick when it comes to fruition. SO I want to see what he does with this cap room.

It will either be a "Gordon/Charlie V" type. Or a "Rasheed" type acquisition.

We don't have years to make this team competitive (which is a point to why he may have preferred it like this) but drafting 2 guys in the top 7 and adding a really good FA to fill any part that is still in need justifies requirements for today and Future ()

I'm not a fan, but he can make it right, I think.

[Futureshock]

Screw having more NBA draft picks btw. Totally not what the league is setup for. Quality, quality, quality...

[ghandi]

ESPN+ (Draft Express) has the Pistons taking Keegan Murray in their latest (post Grant trade) mock draft. No surprise. But here was an interesting blurb a little further at the NYK pick:

11. New York Knicks
Jalen Duren
Memphis
C
Age: 18.5

Coming off a disappointing season, the Knicks desperately need to upgrade at point guard but lack great options to choose from. Trading this pick for an immediate contributor -- i.e., Malcolm Brogdon -- could be attractive here. If they decide to keep the pick, Duren offers a natural succession plan for Mitchell Robinson, who is an unrestricted free agent. He's arguably the most physically gifted big man in the draft, at 6-10, 250 pounds with a 7-5 wingspan, and has a ready-made role from day one as a lob-catching shot-blocker with the huge catch radius he displays, the excellent timing he shows as a rim protector and the way he uses verticality to his advantage. Duren also has significant room for growth in terms of skill level as the game slows down for him as he enters his 20s. Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver is one of Duren's biggest fans in the NBA, sources say, and could very well look to target him in a draft night trade if he continued to slide down the board, especially to Charlotte, which has been identified as a possible trading partner for the Pistons in a potential Gordon Hayward deal.

Other than the future Milwaukee pick what asset does Troy have left to trade for Duren?

[froot loops]

Late 1st.round picks are weird. Good organizations are able to turn those players into something and a lot of big time.players in the NBA come from picks 20 and below. GS doesn't win the title without Looney and Poole. But the focus should be more on them becoming a good organization that can develop players instead of getting hopes up about a quantity of draft picks.

The problem with the Grant trade is he is a super valuable player on a contending team, but he's not worth the contract he will get. Forwards who can guard star players are valuable in the auoffs.

[froot loops]

Other than the future Milwaukee pick what asset does Troy have left to trade for Duren?

Nothing, I think the hope there is you take on Heyward's contract for the 1st round pick. It seems about as likely as Jerami Grant netting the #7 pick.

[Cody_Russell]

Yup. Taking on another team’s bad contract (Hayward, Bogdan) or trading away future picks to move up.
It’s not likely, but I could see the Pistons moving Kelly Olynyk or Killian Hayes for a different asset. I would prefer to keep Hayes for at least one more season though.

…

The draft media has been pretty much set on this order for the last couple of days:

[Futureshock]

https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2022/6/22/23179589/dbb-on-3-troy-weaver-traded-jerami-grant-for-what-detroit-pistons-nba

DBB on 3: Troy Weaver traded Jerami Grant for WHAT?

1. So, Jerami Grant is finally on the move. What was your initial reaction?

Sean Corp: Finally, it’s over! Second reaction was more complicated. I wanted to see more value from Grant, and he would have fetched more last offseason. But obviously the Pistons were eyeing that trade exception and the ability to ship Grant out without taking anything in return with zeal. They wanted the cap space. They better have a plan for the cap space. Also, if I were to rank worst-case scenarios, I’d say 1. Extend Grant, 2. Trade Grant for a different middling veteran with bad long-term money, 3. Keep Grant as an expiring into the season, 4. What we saw tonight. So ... I’m good. It’s over!

Laz Jackson: That feels low. But, per James Edwards III of The Athletic, that’s the best formal offer Detroit received for Jerami. I know #7 was probably out of the question for Portland as soon as the lottery ended, but the Pistons didn’t HAVE to trade Jerami to Portland (or at all). I like Detroit getting their own 2nd round pick in 2025 back, I bet the Pistons have a player in mind at 36 that wouldn’t be available at 46 (Ismael Kamagate? Hometown Hero Caleb Houstan? WinnerGuy Christian Braun?), and there’s always the 2% chance Giannis breaks a wrist or something and that 2025 pick is much better than we imagine. I just don’t like relying on outside chances to derive value from trades.

This is classic Detroit Troy Weaver though. One part relationships over asset plays (gotta trade Jerami someplace he wants to go instead of holding on until someone gets desperate when the music stops), one part valuing his scouting acumen (Keegan Murray can do 80% of what Jerami does already! And we can make him better than Jerami once we get him in-house!), one part Crazy Like A Fox (we could absolutely look up in September and the starting lineup is Cade, Bridges, Bey, Murray and Ayton, which is a ... very nice blend of youth, athleticism, and skill).

Troy couldn’t even get Nassir Little in here. Cmon.

Brady Fredericksen: Not great, Bob! I was underwhelmed, but thought it was the Blazers’ pick in 2025. Then I realized it was the Bucks pick and went from confused to frustrated. I’m sure there’s a plan, but after sitting back and looking at it holistically, it’s still not great.

Ben Gulker: So, I guess Jerami Grant isn’t worth a lottery pick then? I wasn’t expecting this.

Ben Quagliata: Initially it was the classic “is that all?” Stepping back, I can’t grade this until we see what Weaver does with the cap space, whether that’s getting someone like Ayton, Brunson, Miles Bridges or Collin Sexton in free agency or using the space to absorb a bad contract for assets.

Chris Daniels: I saw bits and pieces on Twitter before getting to the real deal, so I was sure the impression I was getting was wrong.

[jaadam4]

That’s a big no kidding. I don’t think anyone would have expected it differently