The Detroit Pistons had a couple of things in mind when they made the trade for Bol Bol.
He is a talent that could help their need for rim protection, didn’t cost them anything really and they are in a position to give him an extended tryout for the remainder of the season with no long-term obligations.
It was a risk worth taking, as Bol Bol is an intriguing talent as a 7-foot-2 forward who has some handles, can shoot a little and can block shots.
The Pistons need size around the rim and having someone who can catch a lob will benefit both Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes.
Ultimately I don’t think Bol Bol is going to be the answer for Detroit long term but the trade has the side benefit of giving them a glimpse into a possible future with a similar player.
Bol Bol trade gives Pistons the chance to see how Cade Cunningham might fit with Chet Holmgren
The Detroit Pistons are likely to have a pick near the top of the 2022 NBA Draft and center/forward Chet Holmgren is a guy they might target.
Like Bol Bol, Holmgren is a tall, lanky center/forward, who is comfortable playing away from the basket on offense and can swat shots at the rim on the other end.
Holmgren is way more talented than Bol in my opinion but both guys have similar traits, so Detroit can at least get a sense of how Holmgren might fit with Cunningham before making him their draft choice if they are given that chance.
Holmgren is expected to go in the top three and many experts believe that he’ll be a target for the Pistons, who desperately need rim protection.
Bol Bol may never be a great player for the Pistons, but even if he isn’t, they can at least get an idea of how a tall and skilled forward (which will likely be Chet’s position initially) would look with the guy they are building around.
It was a worthwhile trade for the Detroit Pistons, who have nothing to lose by making the deal and may come out of it with a better understanding of how their pieces fit.