Watching the home team get drilled night after night is a lot no one would wish for. Unfortunately, it’s been our reality as Detroit Pistons fans for many years now and by box scores and standings alone it is only getting worse.
Detroit has an even lower winning percentage than they did when they landed the #1 overall pick, and their defense is getting obliterated in historic fashion. Many of us would welcome any bit of intrigue that we can get at this point. Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are at least being given the opportunity to become franchise cornerstones, but everyone else is fair game when it comes to wheeling and dealing. The NBA’s trade deadline is just over a week away. Here are five big moves that could happen by February 9th.
Detroit Pistons: Bold trade deadline predictions
#1: Alec Burks nets a 1st from Dallas
Much has been made of Jalen Brunson’s departure from Dallas. He gave his side of the story on JJ Reddick’s podcast, claiming the Mavericks mishandled his contract negotiations. Regardless of how it happened, Luka Doncic lost one of the better running mates he’s had in his career. Brunson scored 16.3 ppg while adding 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds for the Mavs last season. While Burks hasn’t quite matched those numbers for the Detroit Pistons this season, he has managed to put up 13.7 ppg in about 10 fewer minutes per game. His 45 percent clip from 3-point range also bests Brunson’s 37 percent success rate. While Burks may not be a perfect replacement, Dallas may not get a better one.
Compensation is the question, as in what would the Mavericks be willing to give up? An unprotected 1st would be a slam dunk, but is unlikely. Dallas is smack dab in the middle of an incredibly competitive Western Conference race. The difference between 3rd place and 13th is only a few games. They’re currently sitting at #6, and likely to make the playoffs in the future as long as Luka is there.
Giving up a first-round pick, even one with lottery protections, might be a tough pill to swallow, but they could be desperate enough to do it.
Detroit Pistons: Bold trade deadline predictions
#2: Bojan Bogdanovic Stays Put
While it sounds like a lot of fans are presuming that Bojan Bogdanovic will get moved, it’s just as possible that he stays put, which was confirmed in a recent report. For all of the places he’s mentioned as a good to great fit, he’s currently the best player here in the Motor City. Whether he stays or goes isn’t likely to have any real bearing on the Detroit Pistons’ lottery odds and yet his status as an impact player has been established. Perhaps he’s the veteran Detroit needs to steer the ship until Cade is truly ready to take over, both mentally and physically. If he’s not destined to remain here for the duration of his contract, one would be prudent to note that it runs for two more years, though the second is not fully guaranteed. That means two more rounds of trade deadline hysteria, hyperbole, and most importantly of all, opportunity. If Weaver’s demands go unmet he should refrain from lowering the price. He held on to Grant for longer than expected and ultimately snagged Jalen Duren, so timing will be everything when it comes to Bogdanovic.
#3 John Collins Comes to the D
This is may be the longest of the long shots on the list, and yet entirely possible too. Something about the John Collins to Detroit smoke feels legit, as the Detroit Pistons have been mentioned as potential suitor for him by The Athletic among others.
If Bogdanovic is dealt at the deadline then this is a deal fans could live with. Collins has a skillset that the Detroit Pistons are lacking. A small ball center who spends most of his time at power forward could be an incredible fit alongside Jalen Duren. The rim protection those two could provide side-by-side might make up for any perimeter-based defensive liabilities. Collins being able to regain respectability in his 3-point shooting is an absolute must in this scenario, but he’s proven that he can be at least serviceable in this regard.
The contract Collins has is a potential sticking point here. Theoretically, Detroit has the cap room for the remainder of the 5 year, $125 million deal he got from the Hawks in 2021, but with three years left on it they can’t afford to get stuck with a player that underperforms and can’t be moved. Collecting a 1st rounder for Bogdanovic is a much safer way to go, but gambling on Collins would be an intriguing decision for Weaver to make.
Detroit Pistons: Bold trade deadline predictions
#4 Noel trade gets the Pistons another pick
Nerlens Noel cemented his role as a defensive stopper long before coming to Detroit, which is good, because he hasn’t played enough here to earn much of a reputation for anything. He has a $10 million team option for next season that the Detroit Pistons wouldn’t dream of picking up. If they can’t flip him now his supposed defense won’t entice the team to bring him back, even if he’s completely healthy, which he wasn’t when he got here.
Noel isn’t going to bring back the young talent or future 1st that Pistons fans are hoping Burks and Bogdanovic trades will yield, but he just might be enough for us to snag another 2nd rounder. Second-round picks are not huge assets by any means, but would give the Detroit Pistons more assets in future trades or the chance to add developmental talent.
#5 Bye-Bye Bey
Saddiq Bey has been a fan favorite since arriving in the Motor City. It took him no time at all to exceed the expectations of your typical player drafted 19th overall. As part of the same draft class as Isaiah Stewart and Killian Hayes, Bey was part of the first bastion of hope for the Pistons faithful in the post-Andre Drummond era. When he went for 51 points last March he looked like a future All-Star. Take a wider angle when looking at his career and it’s a hard to ignore the sagging 3-point percentage, which has dipped from 38 percent as a rookie to under 34 percent thus far this season. His up-and-down play (and below-average defense) has presented the Detroit Pistons with a difficult choice heading into the offseason in which he becomes extension eligible. If some team comes a calling with an offer too good to refuse, Weaver won’t hesitate to flip him. While that’s stating the obvious it would mark the first time that Weaver has parted with one of his own players drafted in the first round since he got here and began his immediate teardown.
If and when the Pistons decide that Bey will not be worth the money he is likely to command in an extension, they should look to move him for a future 1st and figure out the rest later. If that time has already come, Bey will be gone come February 9th.