Detroit Pistons: “Dream” offseason trade target would be huge risk
The Detroit Pistons could be one of the busiest teams in the NBA this summer.
They are closing in on hiring their next head coach and the three finalists are currently having meetings with owner Tom Gores.
Then the Pistons will turn to the NBA Draft Lottery and pray to the basketball gods that they land the #1 pick.
After that, it’s onto the draft, free agency and the trade market, which could be the way the Detroit Pistons elect to use their cap space this summer.
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They could take on a contract in exchange for an asset, or try to put a package together to swing for the fences on an impact player.
Bleacher Report recently put together a list of the “dream” offseason trade target for every team including the Detroit Pistons and had an interesting name for Detroit to pursue.
Detroit Pistons trade target: Michael Porter Jr.
B/R named Michael Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets as the team’s “dream” trade target this summer, a surprising name given that he is still under contract for four more seasons and his team is on the cusp of the Western Conference Finals.
Here’s part of what they had to say:
"“Detroit needs to find long-term building blocks, and that’s what could drive it toward someone like 24-year-old Michael Porter Jr. He is a 6’10”, three-level scorer who could open up a lot of things offensively for the Pistons. It also doesn’t feel impossible that the Denver Nuggets could consider moving him, since his inconsistent production doesn’t align with his sky-high pay rate.”"
Michael Porter Jr. is fresh off playing a 62-game regular season, which was a career high for him, and averaging 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from long range on 7.3 attempts per game. He’s been almost as good in the playoffs, putting up 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting over 42 percent from 3-point range.
That’s the kind of offensive production the Detroit Pistons could use, but what would a trade look like, and is MPJ the type of player they should be after or just a huge risk?