A trade for Mario Hezonja still makes sense for Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are in the trade market according to Stan Van Gundy and multiple reports. Earlier in the season it was reported that Orlando Magic guard/forward Mario Hezonja was being shopped. It’s a trade that could have made some sense for the Pistons early on, and makes even more sense now.

When the Detroit Pistons started the season 5-2 and everyone was buzzing about what the team might accomplish this season, I thought taking a look at Orlando Magic guard/forward Mario Hezonja (who was and likely still is being shopped on the trade market) could make some sense for the team.

Fast forward two months, and I think the pairing of the Pistons and Hezonja is even better.

The Pistons are are without its starting point guard and look to be a middling team in the NBA with little chance for ascension. Meanwhile, it has players like Stanley Johnson and Avery Bradley who are looking more and more like short-term fits with the organization.

With Johnson, who is still just 21 years old and extremely talented, I think a change of scenery could be just the trick to kick starting his career.

With Bradley, it’s apparent that both Luke Kennard and Reggie Bullock can handle the majority of minutes at shooting guard, and both players are locked up on team friendly deals for the foreseeable future, while Bradley will be a free agent at season’s end and will likely see a big jump in salary.

Coincidentally, Hezonja, much like Johnson and Bradley, is also a talented player who could use a change of scenery or just doesn’t fit into the Magic’s long-term plans.

Even more intriguing, Hezonja has been heavily linked to the Pistons since before joining the NBA, with many teams feeling that Hezonja was “trying to pull a Kobe” to end up in Detroit.

Hezonja, at 6’8″ with superb athleticism, a smooth stroke, and good defensive potential is exactly the type of player Van Gundy likes to coach.

And at this point, what does either team have to lose?

The Pistons could do a one-for-one swap with Johnson and Hezonja and give each player the opportunity to start anew. At worst, the teams remain relatively the same. At best, it’s a win-win for each side.

If the Pistons were to make a trade for Hezonja involving Bradley, the Magic would have to add another player to make the finances work.

For the Pistons, that could mean a young asset like Hezonja, plus another experimental piece or veteran presence, perhaps at point guard (D.J. Augustin would work, who has found success under Van Gundy in the past), and for the Magic, they could add another legitimate starting piece.

Hezonja has seen an uptick in minutes recently due to an injury to Jonathon Simmons and has excelled thanks to consistent minutes.

When Hezonja has played minutes, he’s performed. When he doesn’t get minutes, he struggles to get into a rhythm, like most NBA players.

With either Bradley or Johnson gone, Hezonja would have a clearly-defined role carved out with the Pistons at small forward.

I like the fit of Hezonja and the Pistons and I think its a roll the dice move with little consequences that could be beneficial to the Pistons long-term.

Next: Detroit Pistons interested in acquiring Nikola Mirotic

What do you all think?