The Detroit Pistons will take on the Memphis Grizzlies tonight, with trade rumors already swirling around star guard Ja Morant.
Morant will be back tonight after serving a one-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” and many are theorizing that this might be the final straw that prompts Memphis to trade him.
The Pistons have been mentioned in any trade speculation involving a star, as many believe they need to look outside of their own roster to find a second one to flank Cade Cunningham, though Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson have both made their cases so far this season.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report listed the Pistons as a possibility for Morant, saying they could trade Jaden Ivey and Tobias Harris for the controversial star.
It’s not a trade I can see the Pistons making for many reasons, and they’d be smart to stay far away from this one.
Detroit Pistons: Chemistry would be destroyed by Ja Morant
I don’t even know where to start with this one other than to say, I’d rather have Tobias Harris than Ja Morant and that pretty much says it all.
The Pistons are a team built on chemistry, and Harris has been a big part of that. I get it, he’s on an expiring contract, the only big one the Pistons have, so is going to be included in any trade proposal just to make the money work, but Unc's value to this team is underrated at this point.
Also, are we even sure Morant is still a star? He’s averaging 20 per game this season on awful efficiency and is making over $40 million a season. He played 59 games in the last two seasons combined because of injuries and/or suspensions, so it’s been a while since we’ve seen Morant consistently put up numbers.
Jaden Ivey has also missed a ton of time, and is a big question mark until he returns, but he’s making a fraction of what Morant makes and once he gets healthy, will give you most of what Morant would theoretically give you. He’s not the creator Morant is, but he’s more efficient and provides all the same speed and lackluster defense.
In addition to the blow losing Ivey and Harris would have on chemistry, the Pistons would be left with no power forward depth, an even smaller team and one with no more 3-point shooting than it has now, as Morant has been awful from long range for his entire career.
Even if the Pistons end up giving Ivey a big raise next season as a restricted free agent, he’ll still be making far less than Morant, and given their respective ages, could end up being better than Morant over the course of his next deal.
There is really nothing appealing about this for the Pistons, who are 4-2 and have the luxury of being patient and waiting for the right situation to emerge, whether it’s from their own roster or outside.