Should Detroit Pistons move away from expensive front court?
By Nathan Bower
The Detroit Pistons have new management that will be taking over going into next season. Could they move Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond? It’s possible.
With most NBA teams electing to go smaller, the Detroit Pistons have decided to go the other way.
Instead of focusing on their back court, the Pistons have two very expensive big men. An athletic power forward with Blake Griffin. They have a great rebounder and shot blocker in Andre Drummond.
Both of these players are in the top tier of their respective positions. Is it the correct path the Pistons should take?
The team will owe more than 50 million dollars in salary combined to keep these players in motor city uniforms next year. This expense could make it hard to fill the holes in their roster.
With a new president of basketball operations and a new head coach coming next season, management could decide to blow up this team and rebuild. What if they decided to move in a new direction? The Pistons have a couple of players with good trade value.
Detroit Piston’s Trade Value
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Drummond has the best value on the team. According to ESPN, he averaged 15 points, 16 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game this season. The Pistons could swing a deal to a team in desperate need of his skill set and get a nice package in return.
Detroit would most likely be looking for coveted first-round picks and young talent to build around.
While Drummond has the best value, Detroit could also deal forward Blake Griffin. Griffin is a nightly triple-double threat. New management and his trade value could entice the team to deal him.
Much like Drummond, a trade that included Griffin would need to include young talent and draft picks.
Outcome
These trades would give the Pistons young players to build around a budding backcourt. Both players have a high IQ. Reggie Jackson is an established play maker and Luke Kennard is showing signs of being able to play on the ball. Not known for his play-making in college, Kennard is showing that he is more than just a shooter.
If the Pistons make these trades, and if Reggie can stay healthy, the Pistons could be something special in the future. With the league going smaller, it makes sense that the Detroit Pistons would adapt.