29 Trades for the Detroit Pistons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Rockets Send:  $14,106,225

• Eric Gordon  –  $12,385,665
• Sam Dekker  –  $1,720,560

Pistons Send:  $13,449,659

• Aron Baynes  –  $6,500,000
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope  –  $3,678,319
• Reggie Bullock  –  $2,255,644

Rockets New Lineup:

C   –  A. Baynes | C. Capela | M. Nene

PF –  R. Anderson | M. Beasley | M. Harrell

SF –  K. Caldwell-Pope | T. Ariza | R. Bullock | C. Brewer

SG –  J. Harden | K. Caldwell-Pope | K.J. McDaniels

PG –  P. Beverley | P. Prigioni

Pistons New Lineup:

C   –  A. Drummond | J. Leuer | B. Marjanovic

PF –  M. Morris | J. Leuer | H. Ellenson

SF –  T. Harris | S. Dekker | M. Gbinije

SG –  S. Johnson | E. Gordon | D. Hilliard

PG –  R. Jackson | I. Smith | L. Brown*(R. McCallum)

Why the Rockets do it:

After the debacle that was last season, the Rockets are looking to regroup. They made an excellent first step in letting Dwight Howard leave, and then bringing in Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, but their work is not done.

By bringing in Caldwell-Pope and Baynes the Rockets get the defensive help they significantly need. Whether Caldwell-Pope comes off the bench or starts at the small forward position, his perimeter defense will be greatly appreciated by those who are tired of James Harden’s matador style of defensive.

Baynes could have an opportunity to step right into the starting lineup at center. He would bring the Rockets additional size, rebounding and touch around the hoop. All in all, this trade will help the Rockets round out their roster, add depth and improve defensively.

Why the Pistons do it:

For the Pistons, this might not be a sexy trade, but it would be a very effective one. If the Pistons come to the conclusion that they are not going to resign Caldwell-Pope to a max deal or they fear having to watch him walk this summer, this deal helps them move forward.

Eric Gordon if a phenomenal scoring talent with exceptional range. His career 38.4 three-point shooting percentage has lead him to be able to score in droves, and his ability to slash and dish allows him to facilitate at either of the guard position. In his career, he has struggled with injury issues, but with the advancement of Stanley Johnson, Gordon would be able to come off the bench at either guard position, manage his minutes, and focus all his attention on providing the Pistons with a scoring punch. On the Pistons roster, Gordon would play a very similar role to the role Jamal Crawford plays with the Los Angeles Clippers

The other piece of this trade is Sam Dekker. Dekker is an athletic, energetic wing, who has a high basketball IQ and can knock down the long ball. After missing all but three games last season with an injury, Dekker would get a mulligan on his rookie season with the Pistons. It appears he would fit in well to the Pistons offensive scheme and locker room.

Potential Trade Outlook: Sure Shot

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