The Detroit Pistons have been pleasantly surprised by the play of guys like Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee and Delon Wright this season.
The latter two players seemed like filler signings at the time but have emerged as smart veteran role players who play hard and don’t take much off the table.
Plumlee and Wright have played well enough to make themselves potential trade assets at the deadline and there has been recent buzz around Wright.
The Philadelphia 76ers could be one possible suitor, but there are a number of teams that could use Wright’s 10.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds coming off their bench.
Detroit Pistons: There are teams that would trade for Delon Wright
Wright’s production and relatively low contract of $8 million would not be difficult to move but there are also some compelling reasons to hold onto him and possibly even extend his contract beyond 2021-2022 with the Detroit Pistons.
One of the most difficult things for a GM to do is to decide exactly when is the best time to move on from a veteran who may or may not be part of the long-term plans.
Trading Delon Wright now might be giving up too soon but if the Detroit Pistons wait too long, his value might go down from its current peak.
Whether the Detroit Pistons should trade Delon Wright will be one of the running questions leading up to the trade deadline.
We looked at the pros and cons of making such a trade.
Let’s start with the possible return.
Detroit Pistons: Potential trade return for Delon Wright
Pro: The biggest benefit of trading a guy like Delon Wright is that the Detroit Pistons got him for practically nothing and could turn him into an asset.
If the Pistons were to include the 2nd-Round pick they have coming from Toronto, then they might be able to trade Wright for a young project and a first-round pick from a contender.
This would give Troy Weaver another late first to play with in a trade or to look for additional talent. Considering he found Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey later in the first round, I’m optimistic Troy Weaver can find more talent, even in the late 20’s.
Could they pry away a young player like Matisse Thybulle who better fits with their timeline for success? Also a possibility. Trading Delon Wright now would be selling high on a guy who was not thought of as an asset coming into the season.
Con: The problem with this is that Delon Wright is currently outplaying his contract and might be more valuable than a late pick in the first round. Teams need smart role players off their bench and Wright has proven he can be that guy.
He’s been better than advertised, is still only 28-years-old and is the kind of guy every team needs on their roster, which is a player on a low-cost contract who produces.
The Detroit Pistons have been better than expected this season even though they are in last place, and may not be far from competing for the playoffs next season with the right moves. Delon Wright provides quality depth off the bench and could be part of the Pistons’ future success, which may come sooner than later.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Delon Wright opens up more minutes
Pro: Delon Wright is currently playing nearly 30 minutes per game, so trading him would open up big minutes for guys like Dennis Smith Jr., Svi Mykhailiuk, Saddiq Bey and Josh Jackson.
Wright is 28, so it’s not like he’s a big part of the future, so why not give his minutes to guys who are?
Just like with the Blake Griffin situation, the Pistons can free up more developmental minutes in a season that is a full-on tank job anyway.
Cons: With Killian Hayes out with injury, who exactly is going to play point guard for this team? Dennis Smith Jr. is a project who is not likely to be on the Pistons next year. All of the rest of the rookies and young guys are getting plenty of minutes already, so trading Wright doesn’t really change much.
Also, Wright has been one of the best assist-men for the Pistons, so trading him will make things more difficult on shooters like Bey and Mykhailiuk, which is not ideal.
If Hayes were still playing then this would be a no-brainer, but with him out, the Pistons actually need Wright, so trading him won’t open up many minutes nor help the overall development of the young guys.
The Detroit Pistons and Troy Weaver have a tough call to make on Delon Wright. If they keep him they might miss their chance at another 1st-round pick, but the smart move might just be to hold onto him for the future, or at least until next season’s trade deadline.