The Pistons will be in search of two-way players this offseason and an underrated target lies in nearby Milwaukee. The Bucks' AJ Green has established himself as one of the league's premier snipers and also holds up surprisingly well on defense. He would be a perfect addition to bring some much-needed shooting to the Motor City.
AJ Green is exactly what the Pistons need
Green's shooting speaks for itself: he hit 42% of his three-pointers this season on 7 attempts per game. His accuracy and aggressiveness from long range were sorely missing from the Pistons playoff rotation. Adding Green to any NBA offense can have a huge impact, but arguably no team needs him more than the Pistons.
Obviously Green's incredible shooting percentage from deep is enough to turn heads. But arguably even more impressive has been his ability to continue ramping up his volume. He's shot over 40% from three every season in his career - even as he's gone from 3 attempts per game up to 7. Regardless of his exact usage, Green has proven an effective shooter throughout his career.
As the Pistons seek possible shooting upgrades, they'll have to be wary of potentially upending the defensive fabric that has been their backbone the last two seasons. However, Green can hold up on defense to a surprising extent. He moves his feet well and does a good job defending without fouling. Even though Green is undersized at 6'4" and 190lbs, he's unexpectedly sturdy defending in the post as well.
Green is an attainable target for Detroit
The Pistons will be looking for some bigger trades to add game-changing talent, but Green is a nice upgrade on the margins too. The Bucks' asking price shouldn't be unreasonably high either. In fact, the Bucks arguably have too many offensively-slanted shooters on their team and could benefit from swapping one for a long rangy defender instead.
One of the Pistons' bench players may be enough to net Green, or possibly a second-round pick. The Bucks may soon be entering a full rebuild if they part ways with star Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. At that point, they would probably prefer a future pick or a younger player with high potential over the 26-year-old Green.
The Pistons are finally at the point where it makes sense to give up future or developing assets for players that will help them win now. Making a deal for a certified sniper making just $11 million next season would be a very reasonable gamble. Even while they search for bigger deals, AJ Green should be a name the Pistons keep in the back of their mind this offseason.
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