Now that the Detroit Pistons have risen from the cellar of the NBA, they will increasingly be viewed as a team that might make a big move in the offseason.
We’ve discussed whether the Pistons need to get a second star player to go with Cade Cunningham and the answer to that depends on how you feel about the potential of Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson or Ron Holland II to eventually be that guy.
The Pistons don’t have to make this choice soon, as all of those players are under contract and team control for the foreseeable future, so the Pistons can afford to be patient until the right time or the right player becomes available.
But that’s not going to stop people from throwing them into rumors, especially considering they are one of the few teams in the league with the financial flexibility, contracts and young players to make a big move.
That’s what happens in a recent segment on Bleacher Report, where the Pistons were named as one of the potential top landing spots for Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant if he ends up being traded this summer.
Morant’s name has surfaced in trade rumors of late, though I have no idea why, as his team is currently 2nd in the Western Conference and chasing a title this season. Future financial obligations to Jaren Jackson Jr. could play a part but it’s hard to see Memphis trading the face of their franchise when he still has three years left on his deal after this one.
But I’ll play along and look at the reasons for and against trading for Ja Morant, which if I’m being honest, is about as likely as me playing for the Pistons next season.
Yes, the Detroit Pistons should trade for Ja Morant!
The hosts made the point that the Pistons could potentially upgrade Jaden Ivey to Ja Morant in the offseason, a prospect that doesn’t sound bad on paper, as Morant is essentially just a better version (of sorts) of Ivey as a super quick guard who can score and set up teammates.
Morant is the better pure point guard of the two and would give the Pistons a second offensive weapon to go with Cade Cunningham.
They called Morant a “souped-up” version of Ivey and argued that the two might be on comparable salaries after Ivey gets his extension next summer (more on that take in a second).
Assuming Ivey was part of any trade for Morant, the Pistons would essentially be upgrading for slightly more money and may even come out ahead depending on what other contracts they had to send to Memphis.
Morant is somehow only two years older than Ivey and on a reasonable deal that extends for three more seasons, so the Pistons would be getting a big chunk of his prime years at a relative bargain.
Whatever you think of Morant’s off-the-court nonsense, the guy is a winner, a fierce competitor and would give the Pistons the best backcourt in the Eastern Conference.
Ok, now onto reality.
The Detroit Pistons aren’t trading for Ja Morant
This is like when you were a kid and begged your mom to take you to McDonald’s and she replied, “we have hamburger at home.”
The Pistons already have a Ja Morant-lite in Jaden Ivey, who isn’t as good, but can give you most of the production at a fraction of the cost.
Morant is averaging 20 points, 7.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds this season on shooting splits of 44/32/81 while making $36.7 million.
Before his injury, Jaden Ivey was averaging 17.6 points, four assists and 4.1 rebounds on 46/40/73 shooting splits while making $7.9 million.
Ivey is undoubtedly the better bargain right now and one could argue that his superior shooting efficiency makes him a better fit with Cade Cunningham, especially considering Ivey was shooting over 45 percent on catch-and-shoot 3’s.
But what about after his extension? If the Pistons extend Ivey this summer, they will still have one more cheap year at $10 million while Morant’s salary jumps up to nearly $40 million.
Ivey is not going to get a max extension from the Pistons, and If I had to guess, I’d say his next contract will start somewhere between $18-25 million per season, so roughly half of what Morant makes.
The strange thing is that both guys have missed a lot of time this year and their teams have gotten on without them, as the Grizzlies are 14-8 without Morant and the Pistons are 15-10 without Ivey.
I like Morant, but don’t see him as a big enough upgrade over Ivey to justify spending twice as much, as they could use that cap space to get another impact rotation player.
It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Pistons try to acquire another ball-dominant guard to put next to Cade Cunningham even if Morant is an exciting possibility who fits the timeline perfectly.