Detroit Pistons depth chart if they don't buy out Gallinari and Muscala

When the Detroit Pistons traded Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers to the Washington Wizards, it was more about money than the players involved.

The Pistons took back two expiring contracts in Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala and there has been widespread speculation that the two will be bought out at some point soon.

There is no real harm in keeping them and both players would have been nice additions and fit in their prime days, but those are long in the past, as Gallinari is 35 and Muscala is 32 and both are putting up career-low numbers this season.

Gallinari, who is a career 38.1 percent 3-point shooter, is hitting just 31 percent this season, and Muscala, who has similar career numbers, is hitting just 27.5 percent from long range.

But let's assume the Detroit Pistons do keep these veterans, who can at least help mentor the young players. Where do they fit into the rotation?

Monty Williams will undoubtedly stick with the starters he's been going with, but there are more options if Gallinari and Muscala are on board.

The Pistons depth chart we are most likely to see

Monty Williams' rotations have mostly been baffling this season, but here is what we are likely to see if Gallinari and Muscala aren't bought out, assuming Bojan Bogdanovic is in the lineup and Cade Cunningham is not:

-Killian Hayes (puke)/Marcus Sasser
-Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
-Bojan Bogdanovic/Ausar Thompson
-Isaiah Stewart/Danilo Gallinari/Kevin Knox
-Jalen Duren/James Wiseman/Mike Muscala

It's going to take a herd of elephants to pull coach Williams away from using Beef Stew with Duren and to stop using James Wiseman as the backup center.

Duren and Stewart have not been the problem, despite the constant complaining from fans, but I would still prefer to see Stew coming off the bench in a super sup role and to never see James Wiseman play basketball for the Pistons again.

Just to shake things up, I might try this rotation instead.

The Detroit Pistons rotation Monty Williams should try

-Killian Hayes (still puke)/Marcus Sasser
-Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
-Bojan Bogdanovic/Ausar Thompson
-Danilo Gallinari/Kevin Knox
-Jalen Duren/Isaiah Stewart/Mike Muscala

That starting five would be brutal defensively, but what is new? Even though Gallinari isn't shooting well this season, he's at least a known threat who knows how to play basketball. Perception is more important than reality in the NBA and the perception is that Gallinari is a much better shooter than Stewart even if the numbers this season don't support it.

Mostly, I just want to see a nice balance of young players and veterans. Gallinari and Muscala are washed, but these are guys who know how to play and better complement the young players.

This is a moot point in the end, as the Pistons will likely buy these players out anyway and they still lack overall talent. But if they do stick around, Monty Williams should give Gallinari and Muscala a shot to at least see how the young guys look with more competent veterans around them even if said veterans aren't very good.