The NBA trade deadline is over a week away and it’s still unknown whether the Detroit Pistons will be active, or fairly quiet, once this trade season comes to a close.
Due to Detroit’s record and place in the standings, the Pistons are widely talked about as a team to watch cash in on their trade chips in exchange for future prospects and draft capital.
However, there have been rumblings that GM Troy Weaver may be reluctant to let go of his primary trade pieces for anything less than an overpay.
The Detroit Pistons could be sellers at the trade deadline
Veteran players Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks could help a contending team down the stretch immediately. But, both could be tied to Detroit past this season.
Bogdanovic signed a two-year, $39 million contract extension with Detroit earlier this season. This would keep him with the Pistons at close to $20 million per season for the next two seasons. A value for a player that brings the type of scoring and 3-point shooting that Bogdanovic can night in and night out.
Burks has a $10.5 million team option that Detroit can pick up in the offseason to keep him with the team through next year. The flexibility within Burks’ contract, as well as the team friendly number, makes him a strong option for any NBA team’s roster. That includes the Pistons, who likely will try to turn a corner and compete next season.
Because of this, I think there’s a strong possibility that both Burks and Bogdanovic remain in Detroit once February’s deadline passes.
If that’s the case, is there any move that Weaver would make?
There is a possibility that he looks to acquire an additional piece that can contribute to the Pistons’ rebuild next season and beyond.
So, that would have to be a player that’s under contract at least for next season. And, ideally, someone who fits the timeline of the team’s young core.
Young players can be hard to come by in the trade market. However, teams looking to sell their in-house guys for draft capital will poke around to see what they can get for their young players.
One team that may look to do this, that the Detroit Pistons could find a potential trade partner in, is the San Antonio Spurs.