Detroit Pistons: Brooklyn Nets may need desperation trade with Durant out

Detroit Pistons: A trade of Alec Burks to the Brooklyn Nets

From the perspective of the Detroit Pistons, this move would almost certainly set them back, though Mills would at least provide some valuable veteran leadership for their young roster.

It’s possible Mills would have zero interest in this role and that the Pistons would just buy him out anyway. Edwards is a big, athletic forward who has done little in his two seasons in the NBA, but given more of a chance, may be able to show something for the Detroit Pistons.

It’s really the draft pick that would be enticing, as the Nets could be bad by then, so Detroit would be banking on getting a much bigger return down the road in the form of a high pick, though Brooklyn would almost certainly want some protections on it, perhaps keeping it if the pick falls inside of the lottery.

I don’t think the Pistons should be too eager to trade Burks, but this is the type of deal that at least offers more potential than just swapping him for a bad contract and late first-round pick, as Edwards is worth a flyer and that pick could end up being nice.

The Nets should be looking around the league for ways to tweak their roster before they fall too far in the standings, but there are reasons why both teams would walk away from this deal.