Palace Picks: Trading for Jeremy Lin?

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We’re exactly a week away from the 2014 NBA Draft, and it’s still very unclear on who the Pistons will be targeting with the 38th overall pick. There are a couple ideas out there on who they could target, but there are so many variables that it’s hard to project what will happen at that selection.

We will still keep you up to date on the draft with our continuing Prospect Profile series, who is working out for the Pistons, and much more.

Let’s get to today’s talk though with your Palace Picks.

We pause thirty seconds from our prerogative Draft coverage to bring you the latest trade scenario being explored by Detroit Pistons writers. There has been a lot of talk about the Houston Rockets needing to deal contracts off their cap to land either Carmelo Anthony or Kevin Love.

First, Sean Corp at Detroit Bad Boys explores the idea of being facilitators of a deal with Houston. Corp takes a closer look on what a Jeremy Lin deal could mean for the rebuilding Pistons team. He views Lin’s contract as a positive for a few reasons.

"I view it as a plus because it creates a buyer’s market for his services. If Houston smell blood in the water and is convinced it’s going to land Anthony then they should be more than willing to part with a first-round pick and maybe even an additional asset to unload Lin.Currently, Houston has the 25th pick in the draft and will probably be looking to unload the salary cap hold on the pick to free up every bit of cap space to land Anthony. If that isn’t enough to sway Detroit, they could inquire about whatever future pick Houston is able to land in the accompanying Asik deal."

In all honesty, I would welcome this deal with open arms. Jeremy Lin is streaky at best, but he at least gives you some type of point guard on the roster. Plus, you can pick up an extra shooter in the draft, while still keeping a small amount of money to sign a decent free agent need.

Bleacher Report’s Jakub Rudnik has his own spin on the possibility. Rudnik looks at the one offseason move the Pistons must make, which is trading either Greg Monroe or Josh Smith. Rudnik sees Houston as a trade desination for Josh Smith.

"Similarly, the Houston Rockets could look at Smith if they miss out on Carmelo Anthony and [Kevin] Love. The Rockets are looking for a third star to play alongside Dwight Howard and James Harden, and Howard and Smith are very close friends. The Rockets were also rumored to have gone after Smith last offseason."

According to Adam Zagoria, Andre Dawkins will soon make his way to Detroit for his pre-draft workout. Dawkins will workout with Washington on Friday and then work his way to the motor city. We profiled Dawkins’ talents earlier this month. He has a fantastic stroke and can really fill it up from downtown when he’s feeling it.

Free Press beat writer Vince Ellis says that Cory Jefferson and Dwight Powell both had great workouts earlier this week with the Pistons.

From the 2014 Draft, to drafts of the past. Our friends at Hoops Habit bring us the five best draft selections for the Pistons over the last 20 years. You want to know who isn’t on their list? The man Joe Dumars selected with the 2nd overall pick in the 2003 draft. ESPN’s Chad Ford has Darko Milicic ranked as the sixth best prospect though since 2000. Ford’s rankings were not based on NBA production, but solely on potential and hype entering the Draft. Ford says Milicic awed scouts across the league.

"With a number of international players such as Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Yao Ming taking the NBA by storm, scouts began looking for the next great big man and thought they had found him in the 17-year-old Milicic. Just about every scout who made the trip to Serbia came back raving about the 7-1 big man who was quick, explosive and could score from everywhere on the floor. On top of it, he had an attitude, an edge/toughness that scouts loved. Compared to everyone from Kevin Garnett to Wilt Chamberlain, Darko was supposed to be a dominant NBA force. Longtime Pistons scout Will Robinson said before the 2003 draft: “He’s going to own the game. Own the game. We’re going to have to build a new arena.”"

Well. Isn’t that a bit embarrassing Will.

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