Detroit Pistons: Grading every transaction of 2020-21
The next move was one that many fans of the Detroit Pistons did not like at the time, but was the first of many “Troy Weaver is smarter than you” moments that eventually looked very good.
November 24, 2020- Traded Christian Wood, a 2021 1st round draft pick and a 2021 2nd round draft pick to the Houston Rockets for Trevor Ariza, Isaiah Stewart, cash and a 2027 2nd round draft pick.
Pistons’ fans were psychotic about Christian Wood, but he was another guy I wasn’t all that sad to see go. He had a nice season in Houston on a very bad team and put up a bunch of empty stats just like he did in Detroit. He does not fit the mold of what Troy Weaver is building because he can’t defend and you aren’t going to step on the floor for the Pistons in the Weaver-era if you can’t. You know who can defend? Isaiah Stewart, aka Beef Stew, a guy who is now a fan favorite, should make the All-Rookie team and is a building block of the rebuild. If you think Wood is better, great, but I’ll take a versatile defender and rebounder who will eventually have a reliable 3-point shot any day of the week over whatever Wood is.
Grade: A
November 27, 2020: Traded Ariza for Delon Wright
This trade involved a lot more players but this was essentially the gist of it for the Detroit Pistons. The Trevor Ariza era was exactly three days and then they shipped him out for Delon Wright, who proved to be a pretty good player for the Pistons. The Pistons eventually traded Wright for Cory Joseph and a second-round pick, so they essentially turned Trevor Ariza into a second-round pick and cap space, which isn’t bad.
Grade: B+