Detroit Pistons: Grading every front office transaction of 2020-21
Detroit Pistons: Grading every transaction of 2020-21
The next three moves all came in quick succession and had Pistons’ fans in mixed state of confusion and excitement.
November 20, 2020- Traded Tony Snell and Khyri Thomas to the Atlanta Hawks for Dewayne Dedmon.
This one was just a move to get out from Tony Snell’s contract and the Pistons attached Thomas to make it work. I never really understood this move, as the Pistons decided to waive and stretch Dedmon’s contract instead of just playing him. I thought he could be a useful piece and was surprised they chose this route. Snell just completed the first 50/40/100 season in NBA history (no, really) for the Hawks, though it was in limited minutes. Thomas did enough with Houston to earn himself a future contract. The Detroit Pistons will be paying Dedmon $2.8 million per year for the next four years. This move didn’t make sense then and I still don’t get it, as they could have just kept Snell for one more season and gotten him off the books.
Grade: D
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November 22, 2020- Traded cash to the Denver Nuggets for Jerami Grant and Nikola Radičević.
Woo Hoo!!
This ended up being a sign-and-trade after Grant chose the Pistons over the Nuggets, who were offering the exact same money. This was a huge win for Detroit, as it’s rare for them to win a war for a free agent and Grant ended up being the value signing of the offseason, as he blew up, put up over 22 points per game and will probably finish second in the Most Improved Player award race this season. He’s very good, wants to be in Detroit and is going to speed up the rebuild. Jerami Grant predicted the Pistons would do “big things” next season and I agree.Well done, Troy.
Grade: A++
November 23, 2020- Traded Tony Bradley to the Philadelphia 76ers for Zhaire Smith.
Didn’t get this one either, especially after the Pistons waived and stretched Smith as well. Smith got my dream job, paid $3.2 million not to work and ended up in the G-League. I actually thought Smith could be a player and the Pistons should have at least given him a shot instead of paying him to go away. Also, why not just keep Tony Bradley? He was making the same as they paid Smith to not play, had a decent season for the Thunder and is only 23-years-old. This one was a head-scratcher for me. The only reason it doesn’t get an F is that the stakes were very low so who really cares?
Grade: D