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Why the Detroit Pistons should avoid a DeMar DeRozan trade

By Nicolas Henkel

DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 18: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center on November 18, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 18: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center on November 18, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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With the season off to a rocky start for the Detroit Pistons, fans have speculated a trade could be on the way. Here’s one that they should avoid.

It’s understandable that when your favorite team gets off to a less than optimal start, you expect a move to be made in order to increase your chances of winning. That applies to many fans of the Detroit Pistons, and some have theorized that DeMar DeRozan could be the subject of interest. That may not be a wise decision.

The immediate connection that is made is the obvious one – Dwane Casey spent several years as the head coach in Toronto while DeRozan was there. The theory is that a reunion could prove to be fortuitous for the Pistons, however that’s likely not the case.

As it stands – though it’s only been rumored – DeRozan is currently unhappy with his situation in San Antonio, as the Spurs are currently sitting on a record of 6-12, and just ended an eight game losing streak. (Their longest since Gregg Popovich became coach in 1996.)

DeRozan is currently averaging 22.1 points per game, along with 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 53.0 percent shooting. In theory, that sounds like something Detroit could use right?

That’s not likely. Throughout his career he’s been a lethal mid-range shooter with exceptional athleticism when finishing at the rim. The problem arrives when you look at his three-point shooting ability, which has never  been his strong suit. This season he’s missed all four of his attempted three-pointers, and his career high was when he shot 31 percent during his final season with the Raptors.

This simply cannot work in the offensive system that Casey has implemented in Detroit. The Pistons success is largely contingent on their ability to make perimeter shots. This has become customary across the board in the NBA, but there’s a larger emphasis in Detroit than – for example – San Antonio.

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DeRozan is a highly efficient player and there’s hardly a debate to be had about that. However it’s highly unlikely that he would have the opportunity to thrive in a system already has several players establishing a presence in the paint as it is. (Derrick Rose, Andre Drummond, Bruce Brown, and Blake Griffin from time to time)

This is his 10th season in the NBA, so it’s slightly out of the realm of possibility that he’ll transcend his game and add a reliable three-point shot. But, Griffin did it so there’s always a chance.

The other issue is that he’s not exactly free. No matter what the price is, it’s more than likely going to be too steep for the Pistons to feel inclined to pull the trigger.

If it’s draft capital – all that Detroit has for the foreseeable future (as far as their own draft picks go) are first-round picks, and for a team that has been on the cusp of a rebuild for the past decade, that doesn’t exactly sound like a venture the Pistons front office would care to pursue.

The likely scenario is Detroit losing a combination of wings and young players in order to match salaries. This means that Langston Galloway, Luke Kennard, Sekou Doumbouya, Tony Snell, and even Brown could be on their way out. All of them (with the exception of Brown) have been providing too much stability on offense this season from the three-point line to jeopardize any success that Detroit has  found.

Floor spacing would potentially fly right out the window.

If any trade centered on any of the aforementioned assets is conducted, it could be detrimental to the future of the Pistons’ franchise and set them back several seasons. Losing a player like Kennard or Doumbouya is nearly inexcusable in almost any trade scenario.

It shouldn’t matter how “wide open” the Eastern Conference is this season. There’s a difference between the Pistons mortgaging whatever future they have in order to land a player that almost definitively creates a championship window, and doing the same thing in order to land a player that “might work out”.

This isn’t a slight against DeRozan in any way. There are several teams that could benefit from his talent, and the Orlando Magic could very well be that team, just not Detroit.

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This would be too large of a gamble, and should be avoided at all costs.

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