The Detroit Pistons got NBA silly season started early by dumping Paul Reed last night before his salary became fully guaranteed.
The move puts them beneath the minimum salary floor, so there will be more moves coming, even if it’s just to sign an end of the bench guy making $1.4 million.
The Pistons now have over $15 million in available cap space to use, and they have plenty of options when it comes to trades. Will they go for a splashy name? Add a middling player who helps them without disrupting the roster or just use it for someone else’s salary dump?
With names like Jimmy Butler potentially on the move, the Pistons and their cap space could become important in a three-team trade. We outlined some of the ways the Pistons could cash in here.
The Nuggets are a team that has been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Butler, though it’s hard to see them make that kind of dramatic move considering they aren’t usually in the business of making big trades.
Butler makes some sense for them as a guy who can help Jokic and solve some of their late-game issues. He wouldn’t help their three-point shooting, another area of weakness, but at this point Denver may feel like they need to do something to maximize the window of their MVP, who is playing out of his mind this season.
Potential 3-team trade for Jimmy Butler with Heat, Nuggets and Pistons
I’ve seen this trade mentioned in some form in a number of places, but this is one hypothetical for how the Pistons could get involved in a Jimmy Butler trade.
As you can see, this is exciting for everyone but the Pistons who are just using their cap space for a salary dump of Dario Saric in exchange for a 2nd-round pick.
The Nuggets immediately become more interesting, as do the Heat, as Miami would likely find a way to unlock Michael Porter Jr. into something more than just a spot-up shooter.
The Heat aren’t going to get too much more for Butler than a good player and a pick, as he only has a player option left on his next season and will likely opt out for free agency.
This is about the least exciting way the Pistons could use their roster and cap space, so for me, the Pistons should stay away from simply being a trade facilitator unless there is some payoff that matters.
The Pistons could use a third big man, though Saric has barely played this season, and they could also use an extra second-round pick. This move would also still leave them with a roster spot and around the same cap space as they had before dumping Reed.
They’d essentially get the second-round pick that they didn’t get for Reed, but it’s hardly a move that will matter in the long run.
For once, I’d like the Pistons to make a move that improves the roster. This one makes some financial and pragmatic sense, but it’s not going to ignite the fanbase or make the team better.