Detroit Pistons: Portland a team to monitor at trade deadline and beyond
Detroit Pistons: Trade or free agent from the Portland Trail Blazers
Anyone who reads my work regularly knows that Josh Hart is a player I have long coveted for the Pistons.
I love his game, his work ethic, energy and think he could help add competitiveness and defense to a roster that needs it.
The Trail Blazers are reportedly open to moving him at the deadline, presumably to a contending team that could use his defense and rebounding on the wing.
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Hart has the option to be a free agent at the end of the season, and Portland may not be able to offer him a bigger contract, so getting something for him now would be smart, especially since they are currently out of the play-in picture, 1.5 games behind Utah for the final spot.
Trading for him now would make some sense for the Pistons, who would then have the rest of the season to try and convince him to stay in Detroit.
But waiting makes as much sense, as Hart will likely hit the open market as a free agent and few teams will have as much cap space as the Pistons. The only risk to waiting is that Hart gets traded and ends up in a great situation that he doesn’t want to leave.
If the cost were minimal, he’d be worth going after now, but otherwise the Detroit Pistons may as well wait it out and see if they can sign him as a free agent without giving anything up.