In what is the first of many trades to go down during today’s trade deadline, the Detroit Pistons have agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bulls for Jameer Nelson.
The Detroit Pistons started Trade Deadline Day off with a bang.
Early Thursday morning, the Detroit Pistons swung a deal with the Chicago Bulls reuniting Stan Van Gundy with his former Orlando Magic point guard, Jameer Nelson.
The Pistons send the Bulls Willie Reed, who was acquired by the Pistons in the deal that brought Blake Griffin to Detroit.
Reed was recently suspended for domestic violence, so the Pistons likely quickly moved on from him.
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Stan Van Gundy has had trust issues with the third-string point guard, and Jameer Nelson steps into the role as a much-needed veteran in that position.
However, it is a bit puzzling as to why Van Gundy would make a deal for 36-year old Jameer Nelson without sending out one of the point guards currently on the roster.
The Pistons now have six potential point guards on the roster in Reggie Jackson, Ish Smith, Jameer Nelson, Dwight Buycks, Langston Galloway, and Kay Felder.
Jameer Nelson slides in as the primary backup to Ish Smith. Dwight Buycks was originally slated as the backup to Smith when his two-way contract became guaranteed earlier this season.
Meanwhile, the rotation at center becomes even more thin. With the Pistons sending out Boban Marjanovic in the Blake Griffin has been the de facto backup center with originally Reed slated to spell some minutes from him going forward, but now Griffin will need to take on the majority of the workload.
Stan Van Gundy and Jameer Nelson have a history together. Nelson was a member of the 2009 Orlando Magic team with Dwight Howard that Stan Van Gundy coached to an NBA Finals appearance.