3 Pistons that won’t last the entire 2022-23 season with the team

3 Detroit Pistons who won’t finish the season with the team

Nerlens Noel

Nerlens Noel will be limited  in training camp after only playing 25 games last season, so before anything can happen with him, he needs to show that he is healthy.

If he does, he could definitely be trade bait at the deadline as a guy who is a known commodity. He can defend and block shots, which is something all teams are looking for in a backup big, so he will have some amount of value, especially considering he is tacitly on an expiring contract since his 2023-24 season is a team option.

The real question is whether the Pistons will be able to afford to trade him, as they now only have four centers, one of which is injury prone (Marvin Bagley III) and one of which is 18-years-old.

I am sure Detroit would love Noel to start the season as a backup center, which would allow them to bring Duren along slowly. They could then move Noel at the deadline, reap an asset and start giving those minutes to their center of the future.

There are two scenarios in which I can see Noel not being traded. The first is if the Pistons are playing well and he is a big part of an improved defense.

The second is if there is an injury to one of the other guys and they need him for depth. The Pistons lacked depth at center last season and it was a big problem that they don’t want to face again.

But if Detroit is floundering at the deadline and out of contention, expect Noel to pop up in trade rumors, as he has a known skillset and a contract that wouldn’t be difficult to move.