Trail Blazers surplus could help the Pistons at the trade deadline

The Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers are two of the surprise teams of the early season. 

Both have losing records at 8-11 and 7-11, respectively, but are vastly improved from last season when they were two of the worst teams in the NBA with a combined 35 wins. 

Most believed Portland would be tanking this season, selling off veteran parts to add more future assets to use to build around their young core, and that may still be the case at some point, as Portland plays in the superior conference, where a 7-11 record is only good for 13th place. 

When the Trail Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan, they created a surplus of centers with Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III already on the roster. 

That surplus has disappeared quickly, as all three are currently on the injured list. Ayton should return soon after injuring his finger, Williams, who only recently got off the injured list, has returned in concussion protocol and Clingan is sitting with a knee injury that will be reevaluated in a couple of weeks. 

So right now, the Trail Blazers don’t have an extra center to move, but that could all change by the trade deadline, which could benefit the Pistons. 

Possible Pistons trade with the Trail Blazers 

At some point, it seems logical that the Blazers will start to sell off veteran parts, including one of their centers. 

Clingan is likely their center of the future, few (if any) teams would want to touch Ayton, which leaves Robert Williams III. 

Time Lord is an energy/defense guy who blocks a ton of shots and gets out in transition. That is, when he’s not hurt, which has been rarely. 

RWIII has only played 50 or more games twice in his 6+ year career and has missed huge chunks in four seasons, including last year when he was limited to just six games. 

To say he is injury prone might be an understatement, which is why his best role might be for a team where he doesn’t have to play big minutes.  

That team may simply be Portland, but with two centers already on the roster, Detroit could be another option. 

Williams would give the Pistons, something they don’t have right now, which is a legitimate shot blocker as he averages nearly two blocks per game this season in just 18 minutes. 

Isaiah Stewart has quietly been one of the best rim protectors in the league, and Duren has made some strides in that area, though he still has to be subbed out late in games for defensive purposes. 

Time Lord might be overkill, especially when he makes $12 and 13 million this season and next and is always hurt. 

He’d be a big upgrade over Paul Reed, who has barely played this season and could provide minutes as a third center to spell the other two or be an emergency fill in when there is foul trouble or an injury. 

That might be a hefty price to pay for that role, but if the Pistons are hanging around the play-in at the trade deadline, he’s a guy they might be able to land for cheap who could make an impact without a huge financial obligation. 

He makes too much money for a third center who doesn’t play, but if he’s healthy, he is a difference maker, so it would certainly be a risk not worth taking if Portland wanted anything more than cap relief. 

The Portland center situation is one to monitor this season, especially as the February trade deadline approaches.