Detroit Pistons: Is Delon Wright part of the future or trade bait?
Until his recent injury, Delon Wright was playing very well as the Detroit Pistons point guard. Is he part of their future, or will his fine play end up getting him traded?
With the injury to Killian Hayes and the subsequent trade of Derrick Rose, the Pistons had little alternative than to hand the starting point guard reins to Delon Wright.
Luckily for Detroit, the 6-foot-5 veteran was more than up to the challenge. Having played previously for coach Dwane Casey in Toronto, he already knew the system and was comfortable running the show.
Delon Wright standing out for Detroit Pistons. So how does the team react?
Besides simply running the offense, he showed some offensive prowess in driving to the basket, and was a solid shooter from outside. As his playing time increased, Wright’s confidence grew.
In Wright’s last seven games, he was averaging 16.7 points, 6.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He was a scintillating 55.8% on three-point shots.
Related Story. The pros and cons of trading Delon Wright. light
Then, on February 19th, in the midst of another great game (6-for-7 shooting from the field), Wright suddenly pulled up and had to be taken out. It took a while to evaluate the injury. Until a couple of hours before Detroit’s next game, Wright was still listed as ‘questionable’ to play.
But then came the news: A pulled right abductor muscle. Wright would be re-evaluated in two weeks. Since the Pistons first-half ends on March 4, Wright is effectively out until after the all-star break.
In Wright’s absence, point guards Dennis Smith Jr. and rookie two-way player Saben Lee have done well. If anything, Lee has been a revelation.
Lee’s fine play adds another factor into the mix. Eventually, maybe as soon as next month, opening day starting point guard Killian Hayes will be back. In what might be perfect timing, Hayes, in a best case scenario, could return around the March 25 trade deadline.
Does Detroit want Wright back as part of its future, or will general manager Troy Weaver shop him around to see what he can get?