Detroit Pistons: Looking ahead to potential trade deadline wishlist
The Beal Trade
This is the trade target that #PistonsTwitter has been coveting for months. The problem is that nearly every other team in the league would also covet Bradley Beal. With two years before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, the 26-year-old two-guard has begun his pre-agency.
Washington is handcuffed by the John Wall max contract, and with Wall rehabbing and likely to miss the entire 2019-20 season, it doesn’t appear that they will be able to create a competitive team around Beal before he hits free agency.
To even think about this trade, the Pistons would have to feel very comfortable with the state of their roster and be in contention for the fourth or fifth seed by the deadline. Of course the Pistons would love to have Beal regardless of their situation, but selling the farm for him if the Pistons weren’t high in the standings already would probably be counterproductive.
Breaking down a Bradley Beal Trade. light. Related Story
The Pistons’ best play for Beal would require multiple unprotected 1st rounders, and a young asset. Unlike the Lakers or Clippers (who would be attractive destinations), the Pistons actually have draft capital. The Wizards may also find the Pistons’ draft picks more valuable than other teams that might offer a similar package because of the possibility that Beal and Griffin might not be on the roster by the summer of 2022, the first year that unprotected first round picks would begin to make their way to Washington in this hypothetical deal.
As far as the young asset, the trade above works with either Luke Kennard or Sekou Doumbouya slotted in. As much as I love Kennard, he would become an unnecessary luxury with Beal in the fold. It might make more sense to keep and develop Doumbouya as a complementary piece.
While this trade is by far the riskiest for the Pistons long-term, it is the one that has the highest immediate upside that could vault the Pistons into Finals contention in the East. While Stefanski and company haven’t shown a willingness to make a gamble like this, they haven’t been in a position to do so until now.