Did Pistons give up too early on this G-League guard?

The players on the Motor City Cruise earned plenty of travel miles last season, as the Detroit Pistons had to turn to their G-League affiliate several times.

There were a few standouts, including both Derrick Walton Jr. and Cassius Stanley, who both earned 10-day contracts and made the most of them.

Walton Jr. was involved in one of the top plays of the year for the Pistons, and Stanley showed a skillset that Detroit could have used down the road.

But we won’t be seeing either of them again any time soon, as Walton Jr. headed to Australia and the Motor City Cruise announced yesterday that Stanley has been traded:

I was somewhat surprised by this announcement, as Stanley had some good moments for the Detroit Pistons last season, plays a position of need and has a skillset that they desperately need.

Detroit Pistons: Giving up on Cassius Stanley

Obviously, this move is not going to make or break the season, as Stanley was unlikely to play for the Detroit Pistons unless there were injuries, but after last season, you can’t rule anything out.

It’s also possible the Cruise will land an even better player in the G-League draft, so we can’t fully judge this minor move until then.

Stanley plays a position of need for the Pistons, as he can defend both shooting guards and wings, and provides athleticism that the team lacks outside of rookies Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren along with wing Hamidou Diallo.

Stanley showed some defensive potential as well, and he is a good rebounder for the position. Detroit is thin at wing and Stanley would have potentially provided some depth there in case of an injury.

He can also shoot the 3-ball, as Stanley hit 40 percent of his long-range shots last season on five attempts per game.

3-and-D wings with athleticism are a hot commodity in the modern NBA and the Detroit Pistons are seriously lacking in that department, which is why I was somewhat surprised to see Stanley dealt from the Cruise.

It’s a small move in the grand scheme of things, but it does make you wonder if the Cruise have another player targeted for the G-League draft.