Detroit Pistons: “Dream” offseason trade target would be huge risk

Detroit Pistons: Trade for Michael Porter Jr.

MPJ is a very talented player who would help the Pistons’ biggest need, which is for shooting, size and defense on the wing.

But do they even have the assets to go after him?

One thing holding Troy Weaver back this offseason when it comes to making trades is that the Pistons do not control their next first round pick, which is owed to the Knicks. This limits the type of trade package they can offer and without it, they may hot have enough to get a player of MPJ’s caliber.

This trade is problematic for so many reasons. The first is that I have no idea whether the Nuggets would be interested in either of these players, though swapping MPJ for Bogdanovic at least keeps elite shooting around Nikola Jokic. Bagley III is really just a throw-in to make the money work and to help balance the Pistons’ roster, but Denver may want no part of him. The argument for Denver is mostly financial, as they would get out from under Porter’s deal and gain some flexibility moving forward since Bogdanovic only has one more guaranteed year. They’d also get the 31st pick in a draft in which they do not own a first-round pick, giving them the next best thing.

Also, is this too much for Michael Porter Jr? He’s only been healthy for three years of his five-year career and has never played more than 62 games in a season. Bogdanovic averaged more points, but given his defensive limitations and age, it could balance out some of the disparity.

If the Pistons could get away without adding a first-round pick, this trade makes some sense, but if the Nuggets were to demand the Pistons’ 2029 1st-rounder over a high 2nd-round pick this season, it could be a big overpay.

That being said, is he worth the risk?