If you thought the Detroit Pistons would take Jaden Ivey at No. 5 in the NBA Draft, and call it a night, you do not know general manager Troy Weaver.
In a series of moves that wore out the overworked Pistons beat writers, Weaver added even more talent to the Detroit roster, although some of it might not be seen on the court this season.
I’m glad you guys are having fun, but Troy can’t continue to hand out chaos every single draft and free agency lol. Your boy is in Brooklyn sweating through his corduroy fit with swollen thumbs. What a night.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) June 24, 2022
We are not going through the nitty gritty, as there were a lot of moving parts to this. Bottom line, this is what you need to know:
Coming to Detroit (besides Ivey):
- Memphis center Jalen Duren (No. 13 overall pick, via Knicks from Charlotte)
- Kemba Walker (via Knicks, expected to be bought out)
- Gabriele Procida (20-year-old Italian 6-7 guard who is probably a draft-and-stash)
What Detroit gave up:
- Milwaukee 2025 first-round pick (acquired in Jerami Grant trade way back on Wednesday)
Really, Detroit got a promising young center in Duren for a draft pick coming three years from now. They had to take Walker’s contract as well (only $9.1 million, not like a John Wall mega-amount), but, with $43 million in cap space, no problem.
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Jalen Duren was a major get for the Pistons. Standing 6-foot-11, 250-pounds, Duren averaged 12.0 points, 8.1 rebounds for Memphis, and he does not turn 19 until mid-November. He was not old enough to vote in last year’s election.
Rumors had swirled that, if Duren dropped to Charlotte at 13, Detroit would make a move for him. In a convoluted series of trades, they ended up getting their man, and avoided taking on the Hornets’ Gordon Hayward’s far more toxic contract.
Having a promising, but very young center, like Duren could have an effect on the Pistons reported interest in Deandre Ayton. We will see how that plays out.
Getting Duren could cause reverberations throughout the Pistons roster.
It might alter the Pistons interest in retaining center Marvin Bagley III, who is a restricted free agent. It could also cause a move to forward for undersized center Isaiah Stewart at some point. Center Luka Garza is on a club option for next season, it might affect him as well.
One thing is now clear, Weaver had a clear plan when the head-scratching return for Jerami Grant was announced.
Now, the Pistons are basically getting Duren and (at least officially) Walker for Grant. Duren was the 13th pick and, as most Pistons fans know, all the Houston Rockets got from Dallas for Christian Wood was the 26th pick.
Doing literally twice as well as what the Rockets could get for the former Piston standout, is a great way for Detroit to end a busy draft night.