The Rudy Gobert rumor and the Detroit Pistons

Rudy Gobert to the Detroit Pistons? Are you nuts?

Aside from the fact that the Detroit Pistons probably don’t have the assets to get Gobert, he is not the type of guy they should be going after at this stage in the rebuild.

Yes, he would be a short-term improvement, but he makes $38 million next season, which escalates to $46 million by the 2025-26 season, in which he’ll be 33-years-old. You’d essentially be pairing Cade Cunningham’s entire rookie contract plus the first year of his extension with a guy who is nearly ten years older.

Not only that, but Gobert is already on a super max, so the Pistons would be paying a premium for his less-than-prime years, which is not smart for a team that is not a title contender.

If Gobert were the same age as Deandre Ayton, this would make more sense. I hate to use the word “timeline” because teams need both veterans and young guys to compete, but pushing in the chips for a guy like Gobert seems like it might be leapfrogging a step or two.

There is also a question about how playable Gobert is in the playoffs, as teams have targeted him on perimeter switches and some of his weaknesses get more exposed. Of course, losing in the playoffs is a problem the Detroit Pistons would like to have, but there should be big concerns paying that much for a center who is not an MVP candidate.

While the fit is technically there, the lack of assets and long-term commitments are likely to doom this idea from the start.

I’ve already heard a lot of Pistons’ Twitter talking about this possibility, but I just don’t see it.

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