The Detroit Pistons are likely to be busy at the trade deadline even though some of their business has been sorted after they bought out Blake Griffin.
The Pistons have a number of veteran players that will draw interest at the trade deadline and they could try to add assets to their young core as they continue to rebuild.
They will have some tough decisions to make, as Troy Weaver has hit on nearly all of his draft picks and free-agent signings, meaning the Pistons have a bunch of low-cost contributors on team-friendly contracts who might have more value to the Pistons than they do on the open market.
We took a look at every player on the roster to see where they stand at the trade deadline. Let’s play a little game of trade or keep with the Detroit Pistons, starting with the long-term keepers.
Detroit Pistons: The young core is here to stay
Let’s start with the guys who are definitely not going anywhere at the trade deadline. Saddiq Bey is likely to finish in the top-five of Rookie of the Year voting and looks like a player to build around.
Same with Isaiah Stewart, who has already shown he can contribute to an NBA rotation and should only get better as he offensive game improves
Saben Lee and Killian Hayes could be the backcourt of the future, though Hayes has been out and only got to play seven games before his injury.
I would also add 20-year-old Deividas Sirvydis to this list, as he is unlikely to be moved unless it was to a rebuilding team that wanted a project player as part of a bigger package.
Other than these five players, just about anyone on the Detroit Pistons’ roster could be traded. But should they be? Let’s look at each position.
Detroit Pistons: Trade or keep? Centers
Mason Plumlee: Keep
Mason Plumlee is an interesting case, as he is a guy who could help a lot of teams and might draw some interest at the trade deadline from a contender looking for high-IQ bench depth.
But Plumlee has also outplayed his modest contract, averaging nearly a double-double and logging two triple-doubles already this season. He is not a great defender but he is a smart guy, gifted passer for a big man and will be a good mentor without taking anything off the table.
His trade value is not likely to go down before next offseason or trade deadline, so there is no real reason to move him. Rebuilding teams need veterans too and Plumlee is the type of low-cost contributor that every team could use.
Jahlil Okafor: Keep
Okafor is likely out for the season so the Pistons don’t have much choice here. It’s too bad he got hurt, as he is another guy on a team-friendly deal who looked like he was going to contribute, at least on the offensive end.
Okafor can get buckets in the post with the best of them but doesn’t do much else. Even so, some team might eventually give up a second-round pick for him, as he could be a scoring weapon off the bench once he proves he is healthy.
The Detroit Pistons don’t have much choice on this one, so let’s get to the point guards where the decisions are a little tougher.
Detroit Pistons: Trade or keep? Point guards
Frank Jackson: Trade
It’s unlikely that the Pistons would find a trade partner for a guy who is on a two-way contract and hasn’t played much but it doesn’t appear that Frank Jackson is part of the Pistons’ future plans.
He is currently behind both Dennis Smith Jr. and Saben Lee on the depth chart and that is before you add Killian Hayes and Delon Wright when they get back from injury.
The Pistons don’t need five point guards, so Jackson will probably be the one to go at the trade deadline or in the offseason.
Delon Wright: Trade
Delon Wright has played himself into a trade asset. His injury was unfortunate, as there were a number of teams interested who might be less inclined to trade for a guy just back from being hurt.
Detroit certainly doesn’t have to move Wright, as he might have even more value in the offseason as an expiring contract, but if they can package him to get into the later part of the first round of the 2021 draft, it is something they will have to consider.
Dennis Smith Jr.: Keep
Dennis Smith Jr. is young and talented enough to take a risk on for the future. It’s likely they can re-sign him to a team-friendly deal in the offseason, so there is no reason to trade him now when his value is still low.
Troy Weaver appears to have found a possible gem in Smith Jr. who may have just needed a change of environment and new role in order to thrive. He has been pretty good for the Pistons so far and has at least earned himself a chance to make next year’s roster on a minimum deal.
Detroit Pistons: Trade or keep? Shooting guards
Rodney McGruder: Trade
It’s not likely that McGruder will be traded but he is not part of the Pistons’ long-term plans, so if his contract is needed to make a trade work, they would gladly include him. McGruder has put together a few good games in a row but is still probably not viewed as much more than roster filler.
Josh Jackson: Keep
Josh Jackson was a great low-risk signing for Troy Weaver and finally looks to have his career back on track. At the very least, Jackson is a guy who has proven he can be a high-energy defender off the bench, a guy with good size who can guard multiple spots.
He still can’t shoot from long-range but has been aggressive getting to the rim and can be a first scoring option off the bench.
Jackson is a guy worth keeping to see if he can ever reach the ceiling the Suns saw when they drafted him fourth overall. He is also a on a lowball contract that would be easy to move in the future, so why not play things out to see what he can be?
Svi Mykhailiuk: Trade
Coming into the season, Svi Mykhailiuk was a guy the Detroit Pistons thought could be part of the young core moving forward but he has been largely disappointing so far.
Mykhailiuk’s 3-point percentage has dipped into the “below average” range, which is not good for a guy who doesn’t do much else. He could easily end up being a 40 percent high-volume 3-point shooter at some point but if Troy Weaver could get a second-round pick for him at the deadline, he’d probably do it, as Svi is not one of his picks and Weaver might think he can do better.
Wayne Ellington: Trade
Of all of the Pistons on this list, Ellington is the most likely be moved, as he is on the final year of his deal, not part of the long-term plans and provides a skill just about every contender is looking for, which is 3-point shooting.
Ellington has shot over 41 recent on high volume, so someone will definitely offer up at least a second-round pick for his services. Teams like the 76ers and Celtics could come calling and Weaver will answer the phone.
Detroit Pistons: Trade or keep? Small forwards
Sekou Doumbouya: Keep
The Pistons have learned the hard way with guys like Spencer Dinwiddie and Khris Middleton that giving up on raw prospects too early will come back to haunt you.
Pistons’ fans who are ready to give up on a 20-year-old who has barely played and came into the league with raw skills have no idea how to build a team or to develop talent. No one is going to offer what Doumbouya could eventually be worth, so it makes no sense to trade him unless it was part of a blockbuster deal.
Developing prospects takes patience and the Pistons would be wise to exercise some with Doumbouya, who is still younger than most college players and has plenty of time to be a star.
Jerami Grant: Keep
Jerami Grant has evolved into a star for the Detroit Pistons and there is an argument that they should trade him now for a massive haul while his value is potentially at its highest.
But there is also an argument to build around the guy. Not only does he actually want to be in Detroit, but shipping out a free agent who just signed a half season ago is not a good look for a franchise that already has problems attracting them.
Grant has the skillset to build around, as he is a wing who can score and defend all over the floor, which is the most valuable commodity in the NBA right now.
His ascension speeds up the timeline of the rebuild and the Detroit Pistons could end up being good sooner rather than later if they make the right moves.
The Pistons finally have some young talent to build around but that doesn’t mean Troy Weaver won’t go crazy at the deadline. It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks in Detroit.