The Pistons can take advantage of the Bucks' roster mishmash after trading away superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to land another shooting upgrade. Milwaukee's AJ Green could soon find himself on the trading block and be a perfect addition in Detroit. Green was quietly one of the most prolific long-range shooters in the league last season and holds up enough on defense to provide two-way value.
AJ Green would be great for the Pistons
Trading for Green would follow along with the Pistons' strategy after acquiring Isaiah Joe for two second-round picks. Detroit's front office has done a good job accumulating second-round picks in recent years to prepare for marginal upgrades when the team was ready to compete. They've wisely decided that now is that time and are using their assets to address key weaknesses.
Joe added another shooter to the Pistons' shooting rotation, but they could use even more shooting since the Pistons have such a shooting deficit elsewhere. Detroit does also have an obvious need for a better power forward, but that is one to address with a big move instead. If the Pistons want to add another great shooter with solid defense in the meantime, they need look no further than nearby Milwaukee.
Green's consistency shooting the ball since he entered the NBA has truly been the stuff of legend. He's never hit less than 40% of his threes in a given season, even while steadily increasing his volume from 3 attempts per game to 7.1 last season. His efficiency mark of 42% on those attempts last season was only rivaled by a few other players in the league, including Joe and the Pistons' Duncan Robinson.
There's a spot for Green in Detroit
There is such a thing as skill redundancy, but elite shooting typically tends to be additive. While Green isn't much of a self-creator, he does a smart job of using his shooting gravity to set up teammates for easy baskets - similar to how Robinson helped Detroit's offense flow last season. And Green functions well enough in a team defense through good positioning and solid physical strength from the guard spot.
Financially, his contract is fairly affordable at 4 years and $45 million. That's about the going rate for a solid role player and could be a movable piece for a bigger trade target if the Pistons chose to pursue that route in the future. But for now, they would benefit just from having Green suit up in Detroit threads. He might be a specialist, but his specialty is the most valuable one among role players in the NBA and something the Pistons desperately need.
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