The Detroit Pistons took a calculated gamble this offseason by not adding a reliable second scoring option to take some of the pressure off Cade Cunningham.
They hope more shooting and internal development will be enough but given how they were ousted from the playoffs last season, it was a risk not to address it in a more meaningful way.
But perhaps no team in the NBA took a bigger offseason gamble than the Boston Celtics, who traded away Jaylen Brown, one of the most reliable players in the league for Paul George, a guy who has played just 78 games in the last two seasons combined and was a shadow of his former self when he did play.
You could also look at it this way, which is that the Celtics essentially swapped Brown for a healthy Jayson Tatum and 36-year-old Paul George while keeping the rest of the 56-win team intact.
It’s not only about talent though, as the Celtics lost a guy who can get his own shot, which may make them easier for the Pistons to defend.
The Celtics will miss aspects of Jaylen Brown’s game that should benefit the Pistons
The Pistons were happy to see Brown leave the Celtics, though it would have been better if he had left the conference, as he’s a guy who has torched the Pistons, especially in recent years.
In his last four meetings against Detroit, Brown averaged 35 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists, proving to be a tough cover for the Pistons. For all the talk about his efficiency, Brown is a guy who can get his own shot and create for others, which are skills the Celtics will miss.
Paul George looked rusty in the preseason, and at this stage of his career, isn’t a guy who is going to create his own shot much off the bounce. The Celtics have other players in Pritchard and White who can also create, so the Pistons will have their hands full, but if they can just keep these guys in front of them and force them to take contested jumpers, the Celtics may prove to be easier to defend than they were when they had both Tatum and Brown, who are matchup nightmares.
Both teams took gambles this summer that were unexpected, as most people thought the Pistons would add a splashy name and didn’t see the Jaylen Brown move coming for the Celtics.
We’ll see the early returns on those gambles today at 3:00 PM ET in Little Caesar’s Arena.
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