It seems like everyone has an idea of what the Detroit Pistons should do at the trade deadline, and if we’re being completely candid, most of them are awful.
For my part, I like to dissect other people’s fake trades to get a sense of how outsiders view the Pistons and some of their players, but I love this team as is and would be happy if they just made a moderate move at the deadline as they continue to evaluate their young guys.
Most of these proposed trades either have the Pistons giving away their cap space for someone else’s problem or making a big swing for a star. I doubt Trajan Langdon will do either of those things, but instead will add a piece that helps them but not at a huge cost to their future, which is looking a lot brighter than it did at this time last year.
Kevin O’ Connor of Yahoo Sports has had a few ideas for the Pistons, some of them so bad it’s almost like he’s trying to destroy them rather than help. He has been banging the drum for Detroit to get involved in the Jimm Butler trade by taking on Bradley Beal, a move about as wise as beating yourself over the head with a tack hammer.
He was at it again on a recent episode of his podcast, suggesting the Pistons should be players for another controversial figure.
Detroit Pistons: Trading for Draymond Green
Draymond Green is a name we’ve heard connected to the Pistons in the past and he probably will be again, as he’s from Michigan and went to Michigan State.
He’s also got the kind of game and personality Detroit would embrace, so it makes sense.
Even more now that his team is struggling, as the Golden State Warriors are currently .500 in the Western Conference and out of the play-in picture. They have limited ways to improve and are watching their Stephen Curry and Draymond Green window rapidly closing.
It’s hard for me to imagine Golden State tearing down their roster, but if they want to quickly revamp it around Curry’s last few dominant years, then trading Green may be the best way to do it, as they have to get more financially flexible.
O’Connor thinks Detroit is one of the obvious landing spots, and I have to agree, it would be fun. Draymond is not as good as he once was, but he’s still putting up numbers, shooting the ball relatively well, racking up over a block and steal per game and is one of the most versatile defenders in the league.
He’d be a great mentor for Duren, who is his exact opposite as a guy with all the athleticism and physical tools who sometimes lacks mentally. Green is one of the smartest basketball players in the NBA regardless of what you think of his antics.
He’s under contract for two more seasons at $25 and 27 million and could finish his career at home in front of fans who would love him right away.
It would definitely be a fun story, but at what cost?
Grading proposed Draymond Green trade to the Detroit Pistons
This is where it gets tough, as what would you send to the Warriors for a 34-year-old player who scores eight points per game? We know most of Draymond’s value doesn’t show up in the scorecard, but he has the lowest counting stats since his second year in the league.
KOC suggests sending Isaiah Stewart, a first-round pick and 2-3 second-round picks, in which case I am all the way out.
Stewart is currently one of the best rim protectors in the entire NBA, and while he may not be as good an all-around defender as Draymond, this seems like more of a lateral move with a steep cost.
I’ll give KOC some credit, as at least he is trying to make the Pistons more exciting and this is certainly a better idea than Bradley Beal, especially for a team trying to build an identity around defense.
It’s worth exploring if you are the Pistons, but if you are just going to swap Stewart (who is on a fairly team-friendly deal), then it makes less sense.