Pistons open to trading the 12th pick in the draft?

After a disappointing season that saw the Detroit Pistons fall out of the playoffs and back into the draft lottery, Stan Van Gundy might be looking to make a move.

Today, Marc Stein of ESPN has reported that the Detroit Pistons might be willing to trade their first round pick in this upcoming draft.

This report is also worded similarly to the reports around the trade deadline this year.  The reports all indicated that Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons were open to discussing any potential trade options but weren’t actively trying to trade away players or picks.

This is an interesting report given where the Pistons are currently as a team.  The Pistons are a mediocre team that is currently out of cap space. Any potential trade involving their number 12 pick would also have to include at least one player from the Pistons.

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You would assume that traded Piston player probably has to be one of the large salaries on the roster because the “win-now veteran” they would be theoretically acquiring would probably have a large salary as well.

Unless some crazy trade option presents itself, it’s in the Pistons best interest to keep the pick in a highly touted draft.  They would get a young player on a cheap contract that could potentially be a great value.

The Pistons should just be patient (Yes, I know it’s very difficult) as they are trying to build their team.  They shouldn’t be in any rush to win now because they aren’t close to being a contender.

Even if they somehow did reach that contending point in the next few years, LeBron James and the Cavaliers are waiting in the Eastern Conference Finals to silence any attempt to overthrow his current seven-year reign over the Eastern Conference.

Next: Should the Pistons take Kennard or Mitchell?

Read into this report however you wish, but the one thing that is clear is that any Piston player is available for the right price and Stan Van Gundy is willing to at least listen to all options available to him.  If the Pistons do trade the pick, what player would you like to see them get?