Grade the trade: Pistons send 2 young players to Knicks in wild proposed deal

A tough call for the Detroit Pistons 

This would be a tough trade for the Pistons to make, as they are sending not one but two developmental players to the Knicks in Ivey and Duren, both of whom have shown flashes of stardom. 

In the case of Duren, he is just 20 years old, so this would be very early to give up on a guy who already averages a double-double. 

The Pistons would be immediately better with a rim protector like Robinson and a quality 3-and-D guard like Miles McBride. In the short term, this helps the Pistons and both guys are on reasonable deals. Robinson’s only goes two more seasons and McBride for three at a great price for a 23 year old who is an efficient shooter and already contributed to a very good team. 

The Pistons roster would pretty much be set and they’d be armed with all of their future draft picks, something Troy Weaver was never able to do. Not only is 2025 a better draft than this year, it would potentially give Detroit the opportunity to package multiple picks in a trade, something they are currently unable to do because of the one they owe the Knicks. 

I’m not as high on Ivey and Duren as some fans, but I do wonder if this is the best they could do packaging both of them. 

They are getting two solid role players and a first-round pick but is there a better deal out there? 

Pistons fans would be irate if they made a deal like this, but we have to remember the lessons of prospects past, which is that if you hang onto the wrong ones for too long, they lose all value, just ask Saddiq Bey or Killian Hayes. 

The question is whether this is enough to make that bet. I’d definitely consider it, but with reservations. 

Grade: C+