Detroit Pistons: 2 small trades to add bench shooting

Detroit Pistons: Trade with the Denver Nuggets

Denver isn’t going to get the same amount of talent that the Sixers got, and Detroit gets less talent in this trade as well. Bol Bol has been included in trade rumors, and if he were to leave then the Nuggets would need a defensive anchor in the paint for the second and third units. No, Isaiah Stewart is not going to back up reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, but Jahlil Okafor can.

Okafor is an efficient scorer and a decent rim protector, so he fills one of the largest gaps in the Nuggets’ organization. The Pistons also would give up Sekou Doumbouya again. Maybe a change of scenery can get his career started. Denver or the Motor City Cruise–either work, although I’d rather get something in return.

The Pistons would receive Austin Rivers, who is by no means the player George Hill is but he’s a consistent journeyman who could provide some shooting and pop off the bench. Rivers has exhibited some good perimeter defense in his career, so he would fit Troy Weaver’s mold of a defensive-minded team.

While Rivers is an upgrade, the most important part of the trade is the pick swaps. In return for Denver’s 26th overall pick, the Pistons part with two second-round picks, 37 and 52. With that pick Detriot could perhaps nab Jason Preston, a very promising three-and-d player and a Piston Powered alum, so really it would be a win-win for everyone in Detroit.

The Pistons would get a bench shooter for the present, and be able to grab one for the future. The Nuggets get Jokic some help and a project player to develop.

Neither of these moves would get their own SportsCenter segment, but small moves can make big progress for a franchise that needs a push off the bench.