We are into the wild weeks before the trade deadline, which means the fake trades are flying and plenty of them include the Detroit Pistons, including a recent doozy that sees Detroit landing both Trey Murphy III and Bennedict Mathurin in a four-team trade.
If it sounds unlikely, it’s because it is, and those of us who have been around long enough know that most rumors never come to fruition, and the big deals that do happen often emerge from nowhere.
Bleacher Report recently put together three different trade possibilities for the Pistons in separate deals for Trey Murphy III, Michael Porter Jr. and Bennedict Mathurin.
The first two options have been talked about ad nauseam, but Mathurin is not a name that’s been mentioned previously (to my knowledge) as a possibility for the Pistons.
B/R’s Eric Pincus also added this gem at the end:
“Fold the Murphy/Mathurin deals into a four-team swap. Take Looney out of the deal, relocate Ivey, Alvarado, etc., and tweak the first-round picks a bit. Detroit would be cashing out significant draft capital, pushing its chips in for a chance to compete with the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder in an NBA Finals matchup. With Duren and Mathurin getting new contracts next season, Detroit can field a roster under the second apron, barely.”
Hmmmm.
I have to applaud his ambition, as this deal sees the Pistons making two significant additions at the trade deadline, which may be more aggressive than the teams plans. I highly doubt they could get both of these players for the cost of Harris, Ivey and a bunch of picks, but if possible, it would be worth considering, as It would give the Pistons the scoring punch they lack without disrupting the defense
It’s unlikely to even be a consideration for the Pistons, but it’s the type of deal that gets to the central question of the trade deadline.
How aggressive should the Detroit Pistons be at the trade deadline?
We’re about three weeks out from the trade deadline and there is still no indication of what this team is going to do.
If I had to wager on the topic, I’d probably go with some kind of mid trade in the Dennis Schroder realm from last season, a player who could make an impact without significant cost. I have a couple of ideas in mind.
But if the Pistons are going to make a big move, which they might, they can’t give up significant assets for a player who doesn’t significantly move the needle. Detroit may be able to win the Eastern Conference as is, without giving up assets or financial flexibility.
The move above is the kind of ambition it would take to make the Pistons level up with the teams in the Western Conference, including OKC.
If you are going to go for it, don’t make it a half measure, otherwise it’s not worth breaking up what these Pistons have going.
It will be interesting to see how Trajan Langdon approaches this trade deadline, and my guess it will be with the same patience and long-term vision he’s shown from the start, but he might just surprise us, so stay tuned.