Detroit Pistons: Backup center trade targets

Willy Hernangomez

Willy Hernangomez‘s NBA career hasn’t really been as fleshed out as his teams probably hoped for. A solid offensive player, the 25-year-old center hasn’t developed much on the defensive side of things. Our friends over at the Charolette Hornets affiliate At The Hive have expressed similar concerns in this piece.

Defense aside, Hernangomez can play the 14-18 minutes that is expected from the Pistons backup center. On a low volume, he scored 7.3 points per game on splits of .51/.38/.69 with 5.4 rebounds-per-game.

In 2017, Hernangomez was named to the first-team All-Rookie NBA team. However, playing for the New York Knicks and Hornets, two teams that seem to be stuck in NBA purgatory the last few years, his ability might not’ve been utilized as best as they could.

I’m not saying that he would join the Pistons and instantly become a lockdown defender and spot-up shooter, but I don’t think that it’s a surprise that his motivation on a better team could equal more effort on both ends of the court. He’d be able to space the floor coming off the bench because, regardless of the low volume, he’s shown that he has the range to hang around the 3-point line.

Charlotte acquired Hernangomez from the Knicks for two second-round picks and Johnny O’Bryant. The asking price shouldn’t be too much as the Hornets are in as full of a rebuild as humanly possible. Unlike the other proposed trades, Langston Galloway could remain on the Pistons roster as Hernangomez’s contract for this season is an expiring $1.6 million.

If the Pistons can stomach departing with Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and two second-round picks, then this deal could work for both teams. If Charlotte wants Khyri Thomas instead, that can happen as well. Either way, they’ll be getting a young guard.

However, I think the Hornets would be more interested in the picks and not the players.

These options would add to the Pistons depth and give them a proven backup big man to aid a playoff push in 2020.