Detroit Pistons: 3 reasons the Pistons shouldn’t trade Mason Plumlee
As the NBA and the city of Detroit gear up for the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft, trade rumors and proposals are circulating like crazy. Most trades that Detroit is included in feature blockbuster pick swaps with the Detroit Pistons throwing in a role player in return for a legitimate starter.
One of the most enticing trade proposals I have seen was suggested by James Edwards III of the Athletic (behind a paywall). Initially, the trade actually seemed to be reasonable and balanced, which is more than most mock trades can claim.
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Upon second thought, the trade is actually revealed to be horrendous for Detroit. The Magic would give up the 5th and 8th picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, along with center Wendell Carter Jr. The Pistons would send the first overall pick and Mason Plumlee to Orlando.
On the Pistons’ current roster, both bigs should be backup centers to rising star Isaiah Stewart, who is possibly the future face of the franchise. An emerging defensive star, Stewart is the clear number one option at center.
Being a backup big man is not a glory role, but it is a necessary and important gap for every NBA team to make sure it has filled. Mason Plumlee is one of the best backup bigs the Detroit Pistons could have, and trading him away would be a mistake, especially for someone unproven like Wendell Carter Jr.
That’s before we even get into how bad an idea it is to trade the number one pick in the NBA Draft, but that is a different article.
Plumlee has skills that will help the young Detroit Pistons in their rebuild.