NBA Draft Rumors: Trade with Hornets could net Pistons extra picks

Detroit Pistons: Possible trade for Gordon Hayward

The other option would give the Hornets less open cap space, but would send them back a useful player, who would potentially allow them to pass on Miles Bridges if they don’t want to pay him the max.

It has long been reported that the Pistons are looking for a young player and a pick to move Jerami Grant, and this would give them half of the equation.

The Hornets would have to be more comfortable paying Grant in the future than they are paying Bridges, but would still pick up around $10 million in cap space next season and then get off Hayward’s final year of $31.5 million.

From the Pistons’ perspective, they are taking on that year in exchange for a lottery pick, which they may not get in a Grant trade otherwise, as it seems a stretch that a team like Portland is going to give up the 7th pick for a guy on an expiring contract who has never made an All-Star team. They’d also keep a big chunk of their cap space in the exchange, which would allow them to potentially add another player in free agency.

I don’t particularly like either of these trades for the Pistons, though if they could keep Grant (or trade him to someone else) and still get a pick, it might be more palatable.

We’re going to hear the Detroit Pistons in a few more trade rumors before the big day, so stay tuned.