The Detroit Pistons are in a familiar position as Thursday's trade deadline looms.
They likely don't have the assets to make the splash they need without doing something extremely risky, so we are back to wondering if they will sell off their veterans to other teams, with Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks and Monte Morris headlining.
To some it's a no-brainer that the Pistons should move their vets for future assets, but will the Pistons have other motivations?
The Detroit Pistons want to avoid making history, but how badly
The Pistons are barely on pace to out-win the worst record in NBA history, a mark I'm sure Troy Weaver would rather avoid. Doing nothing at the trade deadline and then winning fewer than 10 games would increase the heat under Weaver's seat and may even lead to Gores firing him after the season.
Would he make a desperate trade just to avoid the embarrassment of building the worst team ever? This is a dangerous position for a team to be in, as the Pistons don't want to make their long-term prospects even worse by taking on the wrong deal just to win a few more games.
Will the Pistons hold onto their veterans for the wrong reasons?
If you tell me all of the deals offered for Bogdanovic, Burks and Morris are garbage and not worth it, I can accept that.
If you tell me there is a plan to add other players, so that these guys fall into more suitable roles for their respective skill sets, I can accept that too.
But if you are telling me that you're keeping them to avoid making dubious history and embarrassing your owner and GM, or that "internal development" along with these three guys is enough to make this team competitive next season, well that is far less acceptable..
The Pistons shouldn't make a move just to make one, even if that means further alienating an impatient fanbase that is sick of being told to "wait until next year."
They can't let shame over a lost season guide their moves or they could be right back here again next season.