The Detroit Pistons have been mentioned in myriad 2022 NBA Draft rumors with the big day less than a week away.
The Pistons own the 5th pick and have a lot of options, including the obvious one of just taking the best player, but there are also scenarios where they could try to trade up for a guy like Jaden Ivey or even try to trade back and reap extra assets.
NBA insider Marc Stein (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED) dropped some new intel in his recent newsletter, with teams that could be of interest to the Detroit Pistons in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Some of the important nuggets were that the Washington Wizards were looking to trade the #10 pick for a proven point guard, Portland and New Orleans were willing to trade for “win now compensation” and that Memphis might try use their two picks in the first round (#22 and #29) to move up.
Let’s start with the two that have the least chance of involving the Detroit Pistons.
NBA Draft rumors: Detroit Pistons
Washington Wizards
The Wizards have been mentioned as a potential trade partner with the Detroit Pistons, but it only seems likely if Detroit acquired a second pick and was willing to move back to get the Wizards #10 pick and an additional asset.
If the Wizards are looking to use this pick to get a proven point guard, then it is hard to see the Pistons getting involved because they don’t have one.
It’s possible the Pistons could get involved if there is a third team (one that does have a point guard) but it seems like a long shot, though the Pistons would love to get their hands on that pick and take a big man like Jalen Duren or Mark Williams.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are the team Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons are hoping to emulate, as they have built a deep home-grown roster around a star point guard.
But it’s hard to see them as trade partners in this scenario, as the Grizzlies’ two picks aren’t enough to get into the conversation of moving into the top-5 of the 2022 NBA Draft.
If the Pistons were to acquire a second pick later in the first round, then it is possible that they would look to trade back for an additional pick, but it’s a long shot with too many moving parts.
NBA Draft rumors: Detroit Pistons
Portland Trail Blazers
I am not going to beat a dead horse here, as we’ve been talking about a possible Portland trade for Jerami Grant since long before the draft lottery.
Now that Portland dropped and got the 7th pick, it seems slightly more likely but a top-10 pick still seems like a lot for a guy who is on a one-year contract and has never made an All-Star team.
Grant would certainly fit into the category of “win now compensation,” but so would a lot of other players, so I am sure Portland is doing their homework to find the best possible deal if they do end up moving that pick.
Having both the 5th and 7th picks would give the Pistons a lot of young talent, but would also make them one of the youngest teams in the NBA and probably worse in the short term. But it would also give them a chance to have the foundation of the future and two chances to find a star in the top-10.
The Trail Blazers may have a new ownership group soon, which could make them more inclined to make a splashy move to try and win now, but I am not sure if adding Jerami Grant to their current roster even makes them playoff contenders in the Western Conference.
Portland has to decide if they want to rebuild or reload, and if they choose the latter, Grant will be in play, but they might decide that he is not enough to get them there and that adding a top-10 draft pick may be the way to go.
This rumor isn’t going to die until the Trail Blazers choose or Jerami Grant gets traded somewhere else.
NBA Draft rumors: Detroit Pistons
New Orleans Pelicans
Stein added one team that I hadn’t heard much about in the New Orleans Pelicans, but it might make more sense for them to trade their pick than Portland.
The Pelicans made the playoffs last season and have Zion Williamson coming back to a team that also added CJ McCollum at the trade deadline. They are far more ready to win now than Portland, and already have a lot of young players on their roster.
They also have a couple of contracts they would love to get off their books in Garrett Temple and Devonte’ Graham, so if they could get off those contracts while getting some “win now compensation” they might be willing to move the 8th pick.
Jerami Grant is really the only player on the Detorit Pistons who meets those requirements and his salary is close enough to the combined contacts of Graham and Temple, but the question is whether the Pelicans would have any interest in Grant.
They are already loaded at forward with Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, Larry Nance Jr., and Trey Murphy III, so it doesn’t seem like a match on paper. But with teams going more position-less, long wings who can defend multiple spots are extremely valuable, and Grant would give them some insurance against another Zion Williamson injury.
It does make some sense, though the Pistons may not be interested in taking on two contracts that extend beyond this season. Temple is washed and Graham is coming off a poor season, so the only real asset here is that 8th pick.
It would definitely be a “win now” move for the Pelicans but there are some aspects of this trade that both teams would balk at.
Of the rumored teams, Portland and New Orleans seem the most likely, but I would still rank these as long shots, as I am just not sure teams will view one year of Jerami Grant to be worth a top-10 pick.