Fans of the Detroit Pistons are waiting patiently (sort of) for the team to hire a new president of basketball operations, a process that has yet to yield a single interview.
Did I mention we are more than midway through May?
When the Pistons finally do hire someone, that person will have a tall task in front of them and not much time to get it done as they are preparing for the draft, free agency and trades that could remake the roster.
One of the first decisions will be which young players are considered cornerstones and which are expendable in a deal.
The Pistons will be targeting proven help if they trade any of their young players, but should they be desperate to do so? That depends.
Should the Detroit Pistons trade one of their young players?
The answer to this is yes and no.
If the right deal is presented and the Pistons can trade one or more of their young guys to get a better fit and more impact around Cade Cunningham, then they have to consider it.
But they can’t do so for a player who doesn’t move the needle, as the franchise can’t stomach watching another young player go off and become an All-Star on another team while the Pistons are still in the cellar.
A recent trade proposal walks the line between smart and desperation and may just come down to how the new president feels about certain players.
The Detroit Pistons make wild trade with the Atlanta Hawks in a proposed deal
The Pistons have the 5th pick in the draft again, a familiar position given that they’ve been there for the last three years. They could use that pick in a package to trade for a more proven player, which is exactly what happens in this proposed trade from Bleacher Report:
In this trade, the Pistons ship out two of their young players plus the 5th pick to grab Dejounte Murray from the Hawks and move up to the 1st pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
I’m not sure either team would do this, to be honest, as the Hawks would be taking a step back, and they may not want to do that unless they trade Trae Young. This would be a rebuilding move for Atlanta and they’ve yet to show they have the desire to reset this much around Young.
As for the Pistons, this would be a risky move. One that could work out in the long run, but there are arguments on both sides.
Would the Detroit Pistons make this trade?
The pros are that the Pistons would be getting the best player in the deal, a proven All-Star in his prime who is a better fit with Cade Cunningham and on a relatively team-friendly deal. His four-year extension starts next year and ramps up from $25-31 million, which is now basically minimum wage for an NBA starter.
Murray is better at everything than Ivey. He’s improved as a 3-point shooter and now launches over seven per game at just under 37 percent. He’s a better defender, playmaker and should make Cade and the team better.
They’d also be getting the #1 pick in the draft, which they could use to grab Alex Sarr or to address their needs on the wing, which would be more pronounced with Ausar Thompson leaving.
But this trade would be a huge risk.
The first thing is that a pick in this draft, whether it is #1 or #5, is worth about the same. It’s possible that Ausar Thompson would be the #1 pick in this draft, so there isn’t a lot of value in moving up.
This is especially true if the plan is to take Sarr while retaining Duren. Are we really going to go through this again, hoping a big can spread the floor when there is scant evidence he can? It’s possible he will eventually be able to shoot enough to successfully flank Duren, but right now he cannot.
Although Murray is immediately a better fit with Cade, there are still questions about how the two would work, as both like to have the ball in their hands and run the show, the same issue Murray had with Young in Atlanta. On paper, they are a better fit, but there are still issues.
The sticking point for me is the inclusion of Ausar Thompson, as he has already flashed elite defense on the wing along with winning intangibles, and now the Pistons are back to square one with too many centers and no wings.
This trade would make more sense if the Pistons were to include Duren instead of Thompson and take back Capela along with Murray. Give me Murray, Capela and #1 for Ivey, Duren, and #5 and we are talking, as the Pistons would then have their center position locked up (taking on the one year of Capela along with Sarr) without giving up their best wing player to do it.
The bones of a trade are here, but the details would have to be altered for it to be a no-brainer for the Pistons. As it is, I’d go lower on the grade, as it’s too risky for Detroit and makes less sense with Thompson.