The 2024 NBA Draft will take place later this week and there are plenty of options on the table for the Detroit Pistons to consider.
They could just take the best player available in Trajan Langdon’s first draft, but there are also scenarios where the Pistons could trade back or use their cap space as leverage to take on assets.
Langdon hinted this route was a possibility during his press conference when he talked about taking on a contract in exchange for something in return.
Given that context, here are 10 possible draft scenarios for the Detroit Pistons, including some monster trades.
#10: Detroit Pistons trade the 53rd to the New York Knicks for Mitchell Robinson and the 24th pick
The Knicks would like to re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein, which will be difficult if Mitchell Robinson is still on the books.
In exchange for taking on the two years left on Robinson’s deal, Detroit will net up an extra pick in the first round. The Knicks have both the 24th and 25th picks and need the cap space more than they need a late first-round pick.
It would be better if the Pistons could get their own pick back from the Knicks, thus getting that restriction off their back, but that may be too much to give up just to jettison Robinson.
Robinson is the veteran shot blocker Detroit needs, and given that they already have Jalen Duren, he wouldn’t have to play big minutes, which gives him a chance to stay healthy.
The Knicks may be reluctant to do this without something coming back, but if they want to clear cap space, they need to pay to do it. Detroit has all of the leverage here as the team with the money. Detroit could potentially add Marcus Sasser to this deal instead of the pick.