Pros and Cons of trading for Zach LaVine for the Detroit Pistons
Pros and cons of trading for Zach LaVine for the Detroit Pistons: Fit
Pros
LaVine is a career 38.2 percent 3-point shooter on high volume and would give Cade Cunningham the type of floor-spacing second option at the two that he's never had. LaVine has rarely played with good point guards in his career, and when he did, he thrived playing off the ball.
LaVine averaged 24.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists with good shooting splits in his 33 games with Lonzo Ball, who like Cade, is the type of point guard who can get LaVine the ball in his sweet spots. You have to double LaVine when he's cooking, same as Cade, which means the Pistons would be able to create mismatches all over the place, especially if they can get another shooter or two on the floor. This solves some of the spacing issues that come with Cade playing with Jaden Ivey.
If the Pistons had to give up Ivey in the trade (please no), Marcus Sasser would move up a spot and give the Pistons bench scoring. If Ivey doesn't go in the deal, he gets pushed to the bench, where he can be unleashed as the primary scoring option, which also improves the overall depth.
Between the three, the Pistons would always have at least one ballhandler on the floor and would have some protection against injuries if one or more of them went down at the same time.
LaVine's injury concerns are somewhat overblown, as he has played 67 and 77 games in the last two seasons before this one and has only had two seasons in which he failed to play 60 games, not counting the shortened COVID season in which he played 58.
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Cons
The obvious one is that Zach LaVine is always hurt. He's only played more than 60 games four times in his career, and the Pistons are a team that has been decimated by injuries. Are they really in a position to invest in a guy who is often hurt? He's the same age as Blake Griffin was when the Pistons traded for him, and we know how that worked out. This is a guy who relies on his athleticism (just like Blake) and is already starting to show signs of decline. His injury issues aren't likely to get better.
He's also a terrible defender, so he would fit right in with the Pistons, who are loaded with guys who can't defend. Even if the Pistons didn't have to give up Bogdanovic to get him, can he, LaVine and Cade co-exist? They'd have to score a lot of points because they'd be giving up plenty on the perimeter.
Even though LaVine has been a very good, high-volume 3-point shooter for his career, he's only shooting 34.9 percent in this season, so is that the LaVine you are getting?
And did I mention he's currently injured?