The type of trade the Detroit Pistons need to avoid

The Detroit Pistons are still in the middle of their rebuild, so it will likely be a few more seasons before we really see them challenge for a playoff spot.

But all rebuilding teams get to the point where they are on the cusp of contending, usually after making the playoffs for the first time, and have to decide to keep rolling with what they have or try to make the splashy move that will put them over the top.

We saw it last offseason with the Cavaliers and Timberwolves, both young playoff teams that made huge trades in the offseason to get a guy who they thought would make them a title contender.

It worked out for the Cavaliers, but not for the Timberwolves, whose trade for Rudy Gobert will go down as one of the worst in modern NBA history.

Not only are the Timberwolves worse than they were last season (currently clinging to a play-in spot with a losing record) but gave up a massive haul of assets to get Gobert. Currently, rookie Walker Kessler, who just had his first 20-20 game, is averaging 11 points, 10 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for Utah, basically giving you what Gobert did but on a rookie deal.

That’s not to mention the four additional first-round picks plus a swap that Minnesota gave up to get Gobert, who is still very good, but at 30-years-old, likely not to get any better.

This is the exact type of trade the Detroit Pistons must avoid as they rebuild, as they know all too well how the wrong trade can set a franchise back.

Detroit Pistons cannot repeat the mistakes of the past

If this Gobert trade has taught us anything, it’s that you absolutely cannot give up a king’s ransom for a guy who is 30+ unless he is guaranteed to put you in contention.

The Detroit Pistons tried it once themselves in a trade that is eerily reminiscent of the Gobert trade and its effect on the respective franchises involved.

In 2018, the Pistons traded Avery Bradley, Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanović, a future protected first-round draft pick, and a future second-round draft pick for Blake Griffin, with similarly disastrous results.

Griffin arguably had the best overall season of his career with Detroit and did carry them to a first-round playoff sweep, but it was a costly one.

Not only did the Detroit Pistons have to take on Griffin’s awful contact (which they eventually bought out at nearly full value) but they arguably gave up the better player in the deal, as Tobias Harris is still playing at a high level for the 76ers.

Not only that, but the pick the Pistons gave up eventually turned into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Ouch.

The Detroit Pistons went into “win now” mode way too early, made the wrong trade and it set the franchise back years, which we may be seeing again right now with the Timberwolves.

Hopefully owner Tom Gores, who spearheaded the Griffin trade, has learned from that mistake and doesn’t make it again, as the wrong move can submarine a team for years, as the Pistons know all too well.