3-on-3: Trading Austin Daye

Modeled after ESPN’s 5-on-5, Patrick and I will answer three questions about a Pistons-related topic. We’re going to use 3-on-3s to assess the tradability of each Piston leading up to the March 15 trade deadline.

For each 3-on-3, we’ll be joined by a guest contributor. Today, that’s Zach Harper of ESPN’s Daily Dime Live, A Wolf Among Wolves.

Please add your responses in the comment.

1. How motivated are the Pistons to trade Austin Daye?

Dan Feldman: Before Rodney Stuckey, Joe Dumars had never let a player finish his rookie-scale contract with the Pistons and become a free agent. Dumars had always extended or traded those types. Daye’s rookie contract expiries after next season, and his deadline to sign an extension is Oct. 31. If Dumars sticks to his tendencies, he’ll either extend Daye – ha! – or trade him within the next year.

Patrick Hayes: If they make a move, it’s a good bet Daye will be included. No player has had a worse go of it adjusting to the new coaching staff. Daye just hasn’t played with the toughness on defense or energy Lawrence Frank is expecting. Daye isn’t as bad as he’s looked this season, but after spending most of the year glued to the bench, the Pistons would probably move him if they could get an asset – young player or pick – in return.

Zach Harper: The Pistons should be very motivated to trade Austin Daye because of the money they used to lock up Jonas Jerebko and Tayshaun Prince. You can only have so many small forwards, and although Daye could be a really nice player, if he’s playing over Jerebko and/or Prince then you’ve got a problem on your hands. Joe Dumars has made a rebuilding living of doubling and tripling up on the same type of player and it has gotten them nowhere. Moving Daye should help cure that.

2. How motivated are other teams to trade for Austin Daye?

Dan Feldman: He’s played terribly and can’t even crack the rotation on a bad team. I doubt anyone is tearing down Dumars’ door to get him. But not long ago, Daye was picked in the top half of the first round and had a better-than-expected rookie year. If another team can get him cheap, it might want to see if it can reverse Daye’s regression.

Patrick Hayes: His shooting numbers are brutally ugly this year. Still though, he has talent and upside. He shot 40 percent on 3-pointers in a limited role last year, he’s still young and at 6-foot-11, his size on the perimeter still offers at least some mild intrigue. Plus, he seems to work pretty hard and have a good attitude. I doubt he’s at the top of many wish lists, but I’m sure there are a handful of teams that would probably take a chance on him.

Zach Harper: Daye hasn’t shown that he’s a must-have commodity by any means but he HAS shown that he has a lot of ability and potential. There are a lot of teams out there that could badly use an athletic SF with a nice outside shot. But if you’re looking for immediate help and not a project, Daye is probably not on your radar of guys to acquire. This league is obsessed with long, lanky athletic SFs, and I’d imagine eventually Daye’s availability has to be high on a lot of team’s lists.

3. How likely are the Pistons to trade Austin Daye?

Dan Feldman: I think Daye is one of the Pistons most likely to be traded if for no other reason than Dumars doing him a favor. Daye is in a funk in Detroit, and although think he could come out of it here, a change of scenery might be the best way to accomplish that. If Dumars can get equal value – give or take, a second-round pick – he might be helping Daye by accepting.

Patrick Hayes: Not very. Unless they get something like an early second round or a young big man with some minimal potential, the Pistons are better off holding onto Daye. If he weren’t playing so poorly this season, he might be the type of player the Pistons could package with a bad contract to get something serviceable in return, but Daye’s lack of production has probably ruined any chance at that type of trade.

Zach Harper: Knowing Joe Dumars, not very likely. Daye might be a guy that’s better to deal around the draft, because you can probably steal a late first round pick or a really good second round pick for him. That might not be ideal value to most Pistons fans, but he’s very expendable on this team. So anything you end up getting is basically icing on the cake. Most teams aren’t going to panic into a Daye trade right now, but if he can put together a good final 20 games, you could definitely move him on draft night when GMs are panicking.