The Detroit Pistons have repeatedly said they will be patient this summer, but that won’t stop them from being in trade rumors.
The Boston Celtics are a team everyone is watching after they flamed out in the second-round of the playoffs and lost superstar Jayson Tatum to a devastating injury that will likely cost him all of next season.
We’ve seen trade proposals sending Jrue Holiday to the Pistons, but the veteran guard has a hefty sum left on his contract that Detroit should want to avoid.
Kristaps Porzingis is another name that has been connected to the Pistons, a less risky option given he has just one year left on his deal, but his injury history might be enough to make Trajan Langdon stay away.
But there are two other Celtics the Pistons could target if Boston does break up their roster, one is a complete long shot and one would represent the type of value production the Pistons need to target this summer.
Derrick White
Even if the Celtics decide to take the Michael Jordan gap year with their roster, White is one of the guys they would likely keep.
But it won’t be easy for Boston to keep all three of Tatum, White and Jaylen Brown and still have a deep roster, so there has been speculation that Boston might trade one of Brown or White and retool around the two that are left.
White is the type of multi-skilled two-way player who would fit on any team, including the Pistons, where he would form a dynamic backcourt with Cade Cunningham and give Detroit another guy who can run the offense at times, spread the floor and defend.
But White is not likely to be available, so the Pistons may have to seek out their own version of him (I have one in mind).
Sam Hauser
Hauser is a far more realistic option, as he was on the fringes of the Celtics’ rotation, especially in the playoffs. He’s a guy who could blow up in a bigger role, as he’s a 3-point shooter with size, something the Pistons need.
Hauser is also on a team-friendly deal, so Boston may envision that bigger role coming with them, but he is set to make $10 million next season a huge raise from the minimum deal he was on this year.
Detroit could potentially flip Simone Fontecchio and save the Celtics a few million, but that may not be enough to pry Hauser away. He’s arguably not that big of an upgrade anyway but would give the Pistons a player on a long-term deal that only ramps up to $12 million over the next four seasons, which could end up looking like a bargain.
It’s doubtful the Pistons will get involved for any of the Celtics’ high-paid cast offs, but we could see them pick around the fringes if the price is right and they think Hauser could outproduce his contract.