The 2022 NBA Draft is approaching and the Detroit Pistons own the 5th pick overall.
They fell two spots from their pre-lottery position, which was disappointing, but Troy Weaver and the Pistons can still walk away with an impact player who could be part of their long-term core. Having Cade Cunningham helps, as they can just take the best player available and not worry about fit.
There is also a chance they will trade the pick, as the 2022 NBA Draft is top-heavy with three guys who are considered a tier above the rest, and beyond that opinions are all over the place on how the rest of the lottery will go.
This could lead to a number of trades in the first round, as teams might feel they can trade back, pick up an asset and still get a guy they like later in the draft.
Today we’ll take a look at potential NBA Draft day trades with the Central Division. These are obviously just hypotheticals, not things I expect to happen (and really just for some fun in the slow season), but it will give you an idea of what is out there and the wealth of moves the Detroit Pistons could make.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft trade with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have as many as six players who could hit the market this offseason, and could be facing some serious roster churn without a lot of ways to improve.
The Bucks will be looking to shed some payroll, and this minor trade would help a bit:
This is hardly a blockbuster but might hold some interest for both teams.
Why Milwaukee would do it: Connaughton has a player option for next season, so would have to opt-in for this to work. The Bucks may not see him as a part of the future plans and could avoid paying him the $5.7 million he is owed next season. If they don’t plan to extend him, it makes sense to dump him without taking back any salary.
Why Detroit would do it: The Pistons desperately need shooting and Connaughton can shoot. The 29-year-old hit 39.5 percent of his 3-point shots this season on over five attempts per game, which would be nice coming off the bench. If the Bucks wanted some point guard depth, the Pistons could throw in Saben Lee as well.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft trade with the Chicago Bulls
The Bulls flamed out after a red-hot start after injuries decimated their depth. Chicago’s offseason will revolve around trying to bring Zach LaVine back, and if they do, there will be a strong urge to try and win now before DeMar DeRozan starts to decline.
They were rumored to be after Jerami Grant, but do they have enough to get him without adding Patrick Williams? It’s possible if the Detroit Pistons are willing to take back long-term assets.
Here is a trade that might work for both teams:
Why Chicago would do it: This would be a “win-now” move that would give the Bulls more depth and protection against injury. Grant could slot into any number of lineups for the Bulls and give them a very versatile team that could matchup defensively with just about anyone. White probably isn’t part of their long-term plans anyway, they don’t need the 18th pick and the second pick is far into the future.
Why Detroit would do it: The Pistons would get to audition Coby White, who is still only 22-years-old and would give them either a starting guard next to Cade Cunningham or an “instant offense” scorer off the bench. This would allow the Pistons to walk away from Frank Jackson and get an upgrade for his spot that has a much higher ceiling. They’d get a second 1st-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and be rolling the dice that the Bulls are going to be bad by 2027. It’s not the can’t miss package that the Pistons are looking for in exchange for Jerami Grant, but it fills a need and potentially gives them a very good asset down the road when their own picks will hopefully be much higher. In this scenario the Pistons would have likely already selected Grant’s replacement with the 5th pick.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Detroit Pistons are hoping to become next year’s Cavaliers by making a big leap from the cellar into the play-in.
They are also building a rivalry with the Cavs, so it’s hard to see these two teams wanting to help each other, but remember, these are hypotheticals for a reason.
Why Cleveland would do it: The Cavaliers get a better, younger and cheaper player who would give them one of the most versatile and smothering defenses in the NBA. Grant would help the Cavs build on what made them good this season, which was a defense that was able to switch on just about anyone. Grant would also be another guy who can get his own shot, giving them a more dynamic offensive option than Love, who is mostly a 3-point shooter at this stage of his career. This move would protect the Cavaliers from the possible loss of Collin Sexton and would free up nearly $9 million in cap space to make additional moves.
Why Detroit would do it: The Pistons would get a second lottery pick to go along with Kevin Love, who would give them a boost of shooting off the bench. Detroit could then take the best player available with their 5th pick and not worry about finding Grant’s replacement, as they’d have a short-term solution in Love, who would be off the books after this season. Love isn’t as good as Grant overall, but he might be a better fit as a guy who can spread the floor with his shooting. The Pistons could then grab a big man like Mark Williams at center or take a flyer on a possible sleeper like Tari Eason.
Detroit Pistons: 2022 NBA Draft trade with the Indiana Pacers
Depending on how the first four picks of the 2022 NBA Draft go, I think the Pacers are probably the team in the Central Division that the Pistons are most likely to trade with, though it is still a long shot.
The Pacers have the 6th pick in the draft, one behind the Pistons, so if they really wanted to move up, it’s possible Detroit could move back in exchange for a future asset.
In the past, it has cost teams at least one future first-round pick to move into the top-5, so that is the price here.
Why Indiana would do it: The Pacers would only do this trade if they thought the Pistons were going to take the player they really wanted in the 2022 NBA Draft. If they have targeted someone like Shaedon Sharpe or Jaden Ivey and think the Pistons are going to nab him, they could move up one spot by giving up their second-round pick as well as a future first owed to them by Cleveland. The Cleveland pick isn’t likely to be in the lottery, so they’d likely be giving up a second round pick and a pick in the 20’s to move up one spot and get the guy they want.
The Detroit would do it: This would take a little gamesmanship by the Pistons, as they’d have to convince the Pacers that they were definitely taking the guy they wanted unless Detroit was compensated. The Pistons would only do this if they thought they could still get their guy with the 6th pick and if that were the case, then why not? They’d be getting an extra 2nd-round pick and a future first for nothing. I think this would be a no-brainer if one of the guys they liked was still there, but it is hard to see Indiana giving up multiple assets to move up just one spot.