Detroit Pistons: Bruce Brown traded to Nets

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver has reportedly made his first trade. He has sent guard Bruce Brown Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dzanan Musa and a 2021 second-round draft pick.

With the NBA office allowing transactions to begin officially at noon (ET) on Monday, it appears the Detroit Pistons have swung quickly into action. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, new General Manager Troy Weaver has arranged a trade with the Brooklyn Nets involving Bruce Brown.

Brown was a second-round pick for the Pistons back in 2018. In two seasons with Detroit, he started 99 out of a possible 132 games.

Brown was not known as a scorer, he averaged just 8.9 points last season. It was defense where he mostly stood out. Brown could guard small point guards or bigger shooting guards with his athletic ability.

Brown had an impressive game last season against the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. With his sterling defense and timely shooting , the Pistons almost upset the Lakers. He finished with an impressive +17 in the plus/minus ratings.

A 6-foot-4, 202 pound guard out of Miami (Fla.), Brown just turned 24. He had been thought to be part of the young core the Pistons were building for the future.

The player the Pistons are getting in return, Džanan Musa, is a 6-foot-9, 217-pound former first round draft pick of the Nets.

Despite his size, Musa plays mostly on the outside. The 29th overall selection in the 2018 draft, he played 49 games over two seasons for Brooklyn. Musa averaged only 4.3 points, but did shoot a solid 37% on three-pointers.

For the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate, Musa was a standout, averaging 19.5 points both seasons. Last year he shot an impressive, 41.2% from three-point range for Long Island.

Musa is only 21-years-old.

Detroit is trading a part-time starter in Brown to the Nets for a young player with promise, but one who has been mostly a bench player in the NBA.

Receiving the 2021 second rounder can not be discounted. Weaver said last week he wants to get more second-rounders for the club and help “replenish the cupboard”.

The second-rounder will be the Toronto Raptors selection. The Nets received it as part of the Greg Monroe trade.

With the draft two days away, one can speculate  the trading of Brown is meant to clear playing time for a rookie guard they expect to draft.

With veteran guard Tony Snell having reportedly picked up his option for this season, Weaver might have felt Detroit needed to open up a spot for a potential starter at guard.

This move makes the draft seem even more interesting for Detroit.