The Top 10 Most Important Detroit Pistons Moments of the Decade
8. Pistons Trade for Brandon Jennings
For most of the 2010s, the Pistons’ point guard position has been a question mark, either due to injury or lack of talent. The decade began with Rodney Stuckey, a shooting guard in a point guard’s body who never quite lived up to expectations. Soon after, the Pistons realized that 1st round draft pick Brandon Knight wasn’t their point guard either.
So, the Pistons packaged Knight, Khris Middleton, and Viacheslav Kravtsov in a sign and trade for promising Milwaukee Bucks point guard, Brandon Jennings.
At the time, it seemed like the Pistons were trading Brandon Knight and some filler for Brandon Jennings. Middleton was an intriguing prospect but I’m not sure anyone projected him to become an All-Star level player. But it must be mentioned, as one reason why the Brandon Jennings trade was one of the most important moments of the decade.
Arguably, Jennings was the best passer the Pistons employed during the 2010s. Sure, that’s a testament to the absolute vacuum of talent that is the Detroit Pistons, but it also highlights how talented Jennings was.
Hot. Taking a look at Detroit Pistons trade value. light
On July 14th, 2014, he tied Isiah Thomas’ record for most assists in a half, posting 16. He averaged 7.6 assists over his first year with Detroit as well as a staggering 39.9 assist percentage during his second year. That assist percentage would be good for third amongst starters today, behind LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
This trade didn’t just land one of the better guards the Pistons had this decade, it kicked off a domino effect of roster moves, outside of just Knight and Middleton leaving town. When Jennings eventually ruptured his Achilles, it meant the Pistons traded for Reggie Jackson (more on this later).
When Jennings eventually returned from injury, he was one of the key pieces in the trade for Tobias Harris, which would eventually lead to the Blake Griffin trade. The trade for Brandon Jennings effectively altered the entire Pistons timeline for the remainder of the decade.