Grading Dunc’d On’s mock trade involving Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond

In part three of the Dunc’d On Basketball Podcast annual mock trade deadline, a move to unload Andre Drummond to the Atlanta Hawks was suggested. Let’s evaluate the deal and give out some grades.

On the latest couple of episodes of the Dunc’d On Basketball Podcast, Nate Duncan, Danny Leroux, Kevin Pelton and former Piston Powered editor Dan Feldman split up all the NBA teams among them and acted as their general managers.

Then, they proceeded to simulate the trade deadline having their teams’ best interests at heart, a very fun thought exercise. In doing so, they came up with all sorts of trades around the league, two of which included the Pistons.

In the first episode of the mock trade deadline, they discussed a trade around Andre Drummond. The Atlanta Hawks were the only team interested but they weren’t willing to part with any significant assets, so no deal was made right away.

In part two of the simulation, they sent Derrick Rose to the 76ers in what was, in my estimation, a good deal for both sides. In the third and final part, the Pistons and Hawks circled back to the originally proposed deal and finally agreed to terms.

The Pistons sent Drummond to the Hawks in exchange for the expiring contracts of Evan Turner and Alex Len. The Hawks had to include a 2022 Oklahoma City Thunder lottery-protected first-round pick that, if not conveyed, turns into a 2024 and 2025 second round pick.

The draft pick is unlikely to convey, as the Thunder project to be in the lottery in two years and second-round picks four-five years down the road hold minimal trade value. However, as discussed in the podcast, the front office can sell it to the owner and the fans as an asset.