Detroit Pistons: Three reasons to trade Mason Plumlee this offseason
Mason Plumlee played well in his first season for the Detroit Pistons. The big man averaged 10.4 points per game, tied for the second-highest average in his eight-year career. On top of that, Plumlee also collected 9.3 rebounds and dished out 3.6 assists per contest. Plumlee actually led the team in total assists this year as he accumulated 202 total assists in the 2020-2021 regular season.
Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver signed Plumlee to a team-friendly three-year $24.6 million contract last offseason. Plumlee played up to that billing as he started in all 56 of the games he played in. The former Denver Nugget also finished the season with two triple-doubles, which also happened to be his first two triple-doubles of his career.
Despite exceeding expectations more than any player on Detroit’s roster, Weaver should strongly consider trading Plumlee this offseason. Plumlee does not particularly fit the timeline of this Piston’s rebuild, and the 6-11 center will likely find his role on the team progressively diminish with each passing year if he stays on the roster.
The factors that will lead to Plumlee’s diminished role along with how well he played this season are key to why the Detroit Pistons should move on from Plumlee as they continue to traverse through a long-needed rebuild. Here are three reasons why the Pistons should trade Mason Plumlee this offseason.
Detroit Pistons: Mason Plumlee is on the wrong side of 30
Plumlee turned 31 years of age last March, and like many other aging NBA players, the Duke product will likely start to regress in the upcoming seasons. This is not to say that Plumlee is about to hit a wall and play terribly next season, but as players start to edge into their 30s they begin to slow down and regress with each passing season.
A 31-year-old Plumlee also does not fit the timeline of the Pistons’ rebuild. While Weaver is not expecting this rebuild to take five-plus years, Plumlee will likely be on his way out by the time the team is ready to compete for a championship. The veteran center’s contract expires at the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season, and in that time Detroit will not yet be ready to seriously contend for a title.
By the time the Detroit Pistons complete their rebuild, Plumlee will be long gone. The big man will be a 33-year-old when his contract expires, and likely will not be producing at the same level he is now. Detroit should capitalize on Plumlee’s team-friendly contract and trade him this offseason before his age begins to lower his trade value.