Since taking over as president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons, Trajan Langdon has made it a point to only sign players with strong records of availability and ones that will specifically complement his young core.
It was the primary failing of the previous front office, which signed oft-injured veterans and cast offs that never helped the core develop.
In recent days, the LA Clippers have signed Bradley Beal after he was bought out by the Suns, ending an ugly and expensive chapter for Phoenix. Yesterday it was Marcus Smart’s turn to be bought out by the Wizards and signed by an LA team, this time the Lakers.
Both players signed reasonable deals that could make them valuable role players for their respective teams, and the Pistons were not interested in either of them.
Trajan Langdon is sticking to his plan and neither of the above players fit it even though they are intriguing names.
Bradley Beal, Marcus Smart, injuries and the Pistons’ young core
Beal and Smart have recent injury histories that would likely be red flags to Langdon, who understands the value of availability.
Beal has only played 60 games once in the last six seasons, mostly maxing out around the 50-game mark for the Suns and Wizards.
He’s also a dubious fit with the Pistons, who are trying to promote Jaden Ivey as their second star and will give him every chance to prove it. Beal has also long expressed his interest in staying on the west coast, so he was not a fit with Detroit and never a realistic option.
Same with Smart, who has only played 54 games in the last two seasons and isn’t getting any better at age 31. On paper, Smart could be a decent fit as a backup point guard who handles some of the playmaking duties, but he too has an injury history that would be a giant red flag to Trajan Langdon.
There are good reasons to be cautious when it comes to these types of players. The new CBA makes every penny count, so taking risks on guys who have missed a ton of games could be punitive financially.
With big raises potentially coming for Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey, with Ausar Thompson a season behind, the Pistons have to take a conservative approach and pursue role players on value deals who have a history of staying on the floor.
The NBA season is a war of attrition and it’s not always the best team, but the healthiest, that survives in the playoffs as we saw in the Eastern Conference this season, with both the Pistons and Celtics suffering key injuries that made the Knicks’ path to the East Finals easier.
Langdon has a vision, one rooted in consistency, and that includes staying away from tempting names with red flags.