The Detroit Pistons are not likely to make a splashy trade at the deadline, but they could look to bolster their power forward depth with a player like Dorian Finney-Smith.
Beat writer Omari Sankofa II recently listed power forward depth as something the Pistons could address at the deadline, and named Finney-Smith as a possibility, which does make some sense.
The Pistons don’t really have a power forward outside of Tobias Harris, though Isaiah Stewart has done well there in bursts when called upon. DFS can play either forward spot, is a good defender who can switch around the floor and is a plus 3-point shooter who averaged 41 percent on five attempts per game last season between the Nets and Lakers.
He’s also on a Houston Rockets team that doesn’t really need him, as they are stacked at the position with Jabari Smith Jr., who is already under a long-term contract, and Tari Eason, who is currently leading the entire NBA in 3-point percentage and some guy called Kevin Durant.
The Rockets are 17-9 in the Western Conference, and Finney-Smith hasn’t even played yet, as he’s nursing a sprained ankle and is eyeing a return sometime in January. All of those factors could make him available, but he also comes with some red flags.
Dorian Finney-Smith would violate Trajan Langdon’s strategy so far
Trajan Langdon has only offered up short-term contracts to his veteran additions so far, with none of them getting more than two years, which is probably smart, as it gives him more flexibility from year to year with expiring contracts that can be valuable in trades.
It also keeps the Pistons from paying for the latter years of a guy’s career.
DFS, who is already 32-years-old, is locked into a contract for three seasons after this one at $13.3 million per season, with the last one being a player option, so even though he’s on a relatively team-friendly deal, it may extend longer than Langdon would be willing to go for a guy of his age, especially when he’s coming off an injury.
He is a tough and versatile defender who would fit in on the Pistons while giving them a boost in shooting from a position where they have little. His contract isn’t a killer, but you do have to wonder what it will look like when he’s 35.
The counterargument to that is that the cap will have gone up enough that $13 million is basically minimum wage for a rotation player.
It was an interesting suggestion from Sankofa, but I do wonder if the number of years left on his deal would ultimately be a deal-breaker for Langdon.