Detroit Pistons acquire James Ennis from Memphis Grizzlies
By Sham Mohile
After acquiring Jameer Nelson earlier in the day, the Detroit Pistons acquired James Ennis from the Memphis Grizzlies.
In the second move of Trade Deadline Day, the Detroit Pistons sent newly-minted Detroit Pistons forward Brice Johnson to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for James Ennis and a future second round pick.
The Pistons have been lacking depth at the wing position, and James Ennis instantly fills that void. Ennis is shooting just above league-average from beyond the arc while scoring 10.6 points per 36 minutes.
In 2015-16, Ennis shot nearly 45 percent from deep and performed very well upon getting major minutes in New Orleans with the Pelicans.
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The Pistons have shored up their reserves with today’s moves of both Ennis and Jameer Nelson, but they still seem a bit thin at center.
The Pistons also have a bunch of money tied up in exceptions – $1.74 million from the Willie Reed trade, $7 million from previous deals, and $5.2 million from Jon Leuer‘s disabled player exception.
These exceptions could potentially be used on the buyout market upon the conclusion of the trade deadline.
After the whirlwind of the trade deadline, teams often shake themselves loose of superflous players and the Pistons could very well throw that money at a backup center who’s shaken loose from a team.
With Memphis looking to rebuild and acquire assets, this move allows for them to get another pick in the draft while also getting a project in Brice Johnson. Johnson may also be a waive-candidate going forward for some instant cap relief.