Detroit Pistons: Grades for the Derrick Rose trade for Dennis Smith Jr.

Detroit Pistons: Grade for the Derrick Rose trade

The package that the Pistons got for Derrick Rose was pretty much what people expected, as he is old, in decline and only has half a season left on his deal.

The Pistons get to take a chance on Smith Jr. to see if he can find a new life in Detroit and they pick up a late pick as well.

But they could have gotten more if they had just traded Rose sooner.

The Pistons waited too long to try and move him and might have had more contenders lining up if they thought they were getting a full season and a half of Rose instead of just the rest of this one.

I get that he was injured before the shutdown last season but Detroit had plenty of time to move him before that and even more time to do it this past offseason.

The trade market for Rose was limited as there just weren’t any teams willing to give up a first-round pick in a loaded draft for a half season of Rose.

Even the Knicks might have given up more if the Pistons had sent Rose to New York in the offseason instead of waiting for the deadline, as they have Dallas’ first-round pick, which was a lot less valuable at the beginning of the season.

I was at least hoping that Detroit could get back their own second-round pick, as it is likely to be at the top of the draft. Instead, they got Charlotte’s, which won’t likely be as good.

Because they waited too long and didn’t really get an asset for Rose, I can’t give this trade high marks even though most agree the Pistons won the trade.

GRADE: C