Shamshammgod’s GM Twitter mailbag
By Sham Mohile
Former Piston Returns
Sitting at my desk reviewing trades, I hear an audible groan from my assistants’ office. Another fan request has come in, but this time requesting to bring back a former Piston. Duncan runs into my office with the request:
Although the Detroit Pistons are still currently paying Josh Smith, bringing him back would alienate the 98 percent of fans that despised him and his egregious shot selection during his tenure in Detroit. A request is a request, however, and I’ve been tasked with devising a trade that would bring Josh Smith back to the D.
In addition, the request asked for the me to trade for almost-Piston, Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo Anthony has recently grown frustrated with the Knicks organization, but holds a no-trade clause that has made it difficult to move him. Assuming he’s willing to come to Detroit, the trade that I’ve devised is the following:
Detroit Receives:
Carmelo Anthony, PF/SF
Jeremy Lin, PG
Brooklyn Receives:
Reggie Jackson, PG
Courtney Lee, SG
2018 DET 1st Round Pick (Lottery Protected)
New York Receives:
Stanley Johnson, SF
Ish Smith, PG
Jon Leuer, PF
Trevor Booker, PF
This trade signals the end of the Reggie Jackson-era in Detroit, with Jeremy Lin taking the reigns as the starting point guard for the Pistons and former Piston, Spencer Dinwiddie, backing him up. The Detroit Pistons also are able to unload Jon Leuer, but must send the Knicks a veteran backup point guard for Frank Ntilikina, and a promising young player in Stanley Johnson. Trading Carmelo Anthony would prove that the Knicks are looking towards the future, and they get a chance to shed some salary, take on Trevor Booker’s expiring contract, and get younger in the process.
The Nets, who have become a dumping ground for the NBA, take on Reggie Jackson’s contract with hopes that he develops as a backup to D’Angelo Russell. Also, the Nets get another veteran in Courtney Lee who has the ability to shoot from a high percentage from three. The Nets only agree to take on those contracts with the addition of a sweetener in Detroit’s 1st round pick.
The Detroit Pistons get “the one that got away” in Carmelo Anthony and have a formidable starting lineup with Lin, Bradley, Harris, Anthony, and Drummond to potentially compete in the East with Carmelo Anthony taking the “star” role that all successful East playoff teams seem to have. If the experiment does not work out, each of the players acquired have contracts that expire after the end of 2019 so a rebuild could take place at that point.
Josh Smith, patiently waiting by the phone for his next NBA assignment, finally gets a call from the Detroit Pistons as they have one roster spot open for a veteran minimum contract. Pistons fans around the world cringe at the idea of Josh Smith being on payroll twice, and they begin to question my tenure as GM.