The Detroit Pistons will be using any means necessary to upgrade their roster this summer.
They have two picks in the 2023 NBA Draft as well as cap space to find free agents or to make a big trade for talent.
The Brooklyn Nets will be one team to watch out for, as they have one intriguing player potentially hitting free agency in Cameron Johnson and another in Mikal Bridges who might end up being the hottest trade target of the summer.
Detroit Pistons: Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges will likely stay in Brooklyn
But Johnson is just a restricted free agent, so the Nets will have a chance to match any offer that is made for him, and the Nets already reportedly turned down four first-round picks for Bridges this season according to HoopsHype, so it’s going to take a Godfather offer to get him out of Brooklyn.
Getting a two-way wing like Bridges would be the dream, and there are some possible trades the Pistons could offer, but those would likely include their first-round pick this summer (#2 or lower) and even that might not be enough to headline a package to land Bridges after he played like one of the best two-way players in the NBA this year.
But the Nets do have other players who are reportedly on the market and would represent far less of an investment.
Detroit Pistons: 2 Nets named as possible trade bait this summer
Royce O’Neale
While the Detroit Pistons might not be able to steal one of the Nets’ top guys, they do have two additional 3-and-D wings that could be available according to HoopsHype.
Royce O’ Neale is certainly not a star, but he’s the type of solid, 3-and-D role player that the Pistons definitely need.
O’Neale put up 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Nets this season (all career highs) while shooting 38.9 percent from long range on over five attempts per game. He’s basically doing what the Pistons wanted Saddiq Bey to do on the wing, but is also a better defender.
O’Neale can defend multiple positions and was often tasked with taking on the other team’s best wing in his time with Utah and at times with Brooklyn before they acquired Bridges.
He only has one partially guaranteed year left on his deal, so if the Nets are looking to shed some cap space, he could be one of the casualties if they don’t pick up the entire $9.5 million or sign him to a new deal.
O’Neale did not play well in the playoffs this season, but if the Pistons are looking for bench depth on the wing, he’s a 3-and-D option they might be able to get in a trade without giving up a ton in terms of players or draft assets.
Detroit Pistons: 2 Nets named as possible trade bait this summer
Dorian Finney-Smith
Dorian Finney-Smith is another 29-year-old who falls into the “solid but not great on a team-friendly deal” category, just like O’Neale.
DFS is a very good wing defender, so good that the Nets reportedly turned down an offer of two first-round picks to trade him at the deadline this season.
He can play big minutes, has the size to defend either forward position, and isn’t a bad shooter, as he’s knocked down just under 36 percent from 3-point range over his career.
He’s under contract at a very reasonable number through 2025-26, so would represent good value as a 3-and-D wing for years to come. He’s the type of smart, selfless defender that the Detroit Pistons need and would be a great target if the Pistons wanted to move Marvin Bagley III this summer.
The Nets could use some scoring punch in the interior, so a DFS for MBIII trade does make some sense.
A lot of this will depend on whether the Nets see themselves as a contender with the right additions or think they need to add more young talent in a soft rebuild around Bridges and Johnson.
But they are definitely a team to watch this summer and could be very involved in the trade market.