Pistons news: What is the “right price” for Saddiq Bey?

The Detroit Pistons are the worst team in the NBA,  have lost their franchise player for the season, and are mired in a three-game losing streak, so things can’t get a whole lot worse.

What was billed as a season for competitive growth has turned into anther race to the bottom three of the NBA standings and maximum odds for landing Victor Wembanyama. Ugh.

This has led to trade speculation around the Detroit Pistons, as they have several guys who could help other teams and allow Detroit to reap some assets. The Lakers, among others, have reportedly been chasing after Bojan Bogdanovic and we’ve even heard some chatter about third-year forward Saddiq Bey, which is somewhat surprising.

Coming into the season, most considered Bey part of the Pistons’ young core, but he has regressed and is putting up the worst shooting numbers of his career. He’s also a tweener that doesn’t have a clear position on defense, which is a problem, as the Pistons are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA and need some guys on the wing with athleticism and length who can defend the position.

The talk ramped up when James Edwards III mentioned in a recent article for The Athletic (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED) that Bey was “gettable” for the right price. But the real question is what that price is and whether the Detroit Pistons would be selling low.

Detroit Pistons: What is the right price for Saddiq Bey?

Bey has always been a streaky shooter and started last season poorly as well, so there is still time for him to turn it around and save his season.

But right now he is not looking like a great fit, especially if the Pistons decide to keep Bogdanovic, who is another slow forward who can’t really defend wings.

Bey was an All-Rookie who once looked like one of the most promising players in his draft class, but he’s definitely at a low point in his career. Trading him now would be selling low, but there are reportedly several teams, including Miami, asking about the price for a Bey trade.

It’s hard to imagine any team giving up an unprotected first-round pick for Bey, which is definitely not something you would have said after his rookie season. The Pistons aren’t going to settle for a second-round pick, but I don’t think they can expect too many teams to offer up a first rounder without lottery protections.

They may have to explore trades that bring back players who are in a similar situation as Bey, underperforming on a rookie deal and possibly needing a change of scenery to thrive. If Detroit could find a player who is a better fit, this might be their best route.

A player who can shoot the 3-ball consistently or defend on the wing would be ideal, but those kinds of guys are hard to come by and most teams aren’t letting them go for a guy who can do neither.

The Pistons are in a tough spot right now and may be best served by letting Bey play out this season to see if he improves and gets more efficient as a bench scorer. Trading him now isn’t going to bring back much unless he is attached to a bigger deal.

It’s a classic “sell low” situation that the Detroit Pistons probably want to avoid unless they can identify a player who is a better fit defensively and can be had for Saddiq Bey.