The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to add shooters and the Detroit Pistons could be a partner with Philly looking at Langston Galloway and Luke Kennard.
The Detroit Pistons have been nothing short of active in NBA trade circles over the last week, but this extends beyond Andre Drummond.
The Philadelphia 76ers need shooters and have their sights set on Langston Galloway or Luke Kennard, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. Each player comes with a price and there’s reason to believe Galloway is more attainable.
Nothing is imminent as the Sixers appear to be doing their due diligence but the Pistons would be foolish not to listen. Philadelphia desperately needs shooting and is no position to negotiate to its price, sitting in the fifth spot in the East a half-game behind Toronto entering Saturday’s games.
When it comes to 3-point shooting, the Sixers are eighth in the league converting 36.3% whereas the Pistons are fourth at 37.2%. The real issue lies in the volume of attempts. Philadelphia is 25th in the NBA with 29.9 3-point attempts.
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The Sixers have a shot at contending, as evident by a signature Christmas Day win over the East-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Philly has size with Al Horford and Joel Embiid in the frontcourt, the 6-foot-8 Ben Simmons at point guard coupled with Josh Richardson and Tobias Harris on the wings.
Between Horford and Embiid, who can shoot and pop in pick-and-roll opportunities, and Simmons’ lack of a 3-point shot, the Sixers have floor-spacing issues. It’s to nobody’s surprise that they’re looking for a shooter.
Of note, Pompey wrote league executives are preparing for the Sixers to move off of second-year guard Zhaire Smith, who has received minimal playing time in Philadelphia – eight games in total.
Galloway seems like a natural fit for the Sixers, as Piston Powered’s Blake Stackpoole concocted a mock trade in December for the sharp shooting wing. Let’s dive in and take a deeper look.
A trade for Galloway
Galloway got off to a scorching hot start this season its set the tone for a nice contract this summer when he becomes a free agent. It’s also carried through to shooting a career-best 39.9% from 3-point range on 5.2 attempts per game.
It’s allowed his role to expand for the Pistons, averaging 25.5 minutes per game, the most since his rookie season. That would likely dwindle with the Sixers as he pivots to a shooter off the bench but his consistent efficiency over long stretches is key.
Galloway is owed $7.3 million this season so matching salaries will be a bit challenging and may require the deal to expand or find a third team. One option would be to include Markieff Morris in the deal in return for Mike Scott to help match salaries.
Morris is shooting a career-best 41.1% from 3-point range and is being paid $3.2 million with a player option for 2020-21. Scott is converting 34.3% of his 3-point attempts and is being paid $4.2 million this season and has a second year on his deal.
Adding Jonah Bolden to the mix would give the Pistons another power forward to try and develop at 6-foot-8, 220 pounds. He’s spent most of his time in the G League this season. The 24-year-old was drafted 36th overall in 2017.
Detroit could ask for Oklahoma City’s 2020 first-round pick in a deal for also including Morris and taking on Scott. Though this mock trade will include a 2020 second-round pick that would be the more favorable between the Nets and Knicks.
Now let’s take a look at a deal for Kennard.
A trade for Kennard
A trade involving Kennard won’t sit well with Pistons fans, and it’ll also cost any team a significant amount of assets. The 23-year-old guard is having his best season yet.
Originally drafted 12th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kennard is averaging a career-best 15.8 points, 4.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in 32.9 minutes per game, also a career-high. That production has been needed for the Pistons and it could be a significant piece in the Pistons rebuild.
If the Pistons were to trade him, they’d need significant assets back and finding a home with a contender would likely require young players added to deal rather than late picks. Though late picks are better than no picks and Philadelphia at least has the Knicks second rounders in 2020 and 2021.
In addition to Smith, Philadelphia may have to include wing Matisse Thybulle, who the Sixers are understandably high on. The rookie was selected 20th overall out of Washington and is 6-5, 200 pounds.
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Thybulle has been significantly better defensively, something the Pistons have not been, with a 3.1 defensive box-plus/minus. He also has a full defensive win share. He’s shooting 44.9% from 3-point range on 69 total attempts entering Saturday. But overall his offensive game could use some help.
Smith is 20 and Thybulle is 22, which would fit with the most-likely Piston to stay in Detroit in Sekou Doumbouya. The Pistons rookie just turned 19 on Dec. 23. If the Pistons were to start a rebuild with a defensive identity and 3-point shooters in Dwane Casey’s system, adding Smith and Thybulle would give them versatility on the wing with Doumbouya.
But is it enough? Even if the Pistons were to get the Thunder’s 2020 first and the two second’s from the Knicks, it may not be. But the Sixers don’t have the power to negotiate if they want to improve their 3-point shooting and make a run at a NBA Finals berth.
We’ll see what the Pistons do ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. But prepare for a long month forward that will significantly impact the Pistons future.