The Detroit Pistons' roster construction continues with another offseason move, but this time, a trade that many can probably get behind. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Pistons are trading Caris LeVert and two second-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris.
LeVert being moved this offseason shouldn't come as a surprise at all, considering the underwhelming production the veteran guard offered Detroit this past season, especially in comparison to the $14 million contract he signed with the Pistons last offseason.
Obviously, with Detroit attaching draft compensation alongside LeVert's expiring contract, the team was motivated to shed the playmaker's salary. While both Prince and Harris could carve out a solid role on the team's bench, the decision to move on from the 31-year-old's deal is less about the players coming back and more about the options his departure creates.
Pistons open room to re-sign Jalen Duren alongside other moves
Swapping LeVert's remaining $14.8 million contract with Prince and Harris frees up roughly $7 million for the Pistons, which may not seem like a lot to some, but given the obstacles the new CBA guidelines present, every penny is important.
The Pistons have already proved active this offseason, absorbing Isaiah Joe's contract from the Oklahoma City Thunder and signing John Collins in free agency, but the biggest domino still to fall is the eventual extension of Jalen Duren.
Duren has made it clear he hopes to land a max extension this offseason, whether with the Pistons or elsewhere, but with potential suitors for the big man quickly falling off the board, all signs point to Detroit re-signing their All-NBA center.
Detroit was in a solid position to extend the 22-year-old after the season to begin with, especially after his disastrous postseason made it clear that offering the $287 million supermax Duren was eligible for wasn't going to be an option.
Fast forward to now, though, the Pistons have made enough moves that offloading LeVert's deal for essentially nothing makes the most sense, so Detroit can find some financial flexibility to bring Duren back alongside their other moves.
The idea that moving LeVert's contract is a precursor for an additional move on the trade market shouldn't be completely ruled out, especially given Detroit's reported interest in players like Trey Murphy III. Still, in the same breath, the veteran's contract would have been used as a centerpiece in any potential deal.
All that said, the signs point to this move, suggesting that an extension for Jalen Duren could be on the horizon.
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