Realistic Detroit Pistons Trade Scenarios for the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
Thinking of Realistic Trades for the 2022-23 Detroit Pistons
The trade deadline is almost upon us and I want to think about some possible deals for my Detroit Pistons that could ACTUALLY happen. I will give each deal and the reasoning why each team would want to do it.
While some of these DO involve future draft picks, I will discuss the particulars of those in more detail under the proposed trade.
Also, just to show some love to a true professional, Rodney McGruder is included in just about every deal here. This was more than just to make the money work or make sure teams have enough guys on their roster. EVERY NBA TEAM NEEDS RODNEY MCGRUDER. He stays ready as evidence by every single team he has ever been on, he plays pestering defense, he accepts and excels at his role, and most importantly he is another coach on your bench with his IQ and leadership.
I have been a fan of his since his K State days and would be sad to see him go as he has provided plenty of mentoring and community service to Detroit, but in the NBA you are only as good as the last guy on your bench. If that guy is Rodney McGruder, then that team is going to fight until the end.
My favorite
Why Detroit would do it: Exchange a veteran offensive specialist for a two-way forward who matches the timeline of his teammates
Why Chicago would do it: They need to win now AND they are in real risk of losing one of their starters for nothing
The Bulls are at a weird crossroads with Lonzo Ball still hurt and their record at 25-27 and the 9th seed in the East at the time of this article. While some have called for this team to blow it up and start the rebuild, this squad has spent VERY little time together due to Lonzo’s injury. It would be uncharacteristic for an NBA GM to blow up a core they put together 18 months ago. It would also be bizarre for an ownership group who just lived through a terrible few tanktastic years to say, “let’s do that again!”
The bigger issue is that Ayo Dosunmu, their starting point guard, will be a free agent this offseason. He has been one of the most steadying forces for this Bulls team and I would imagine is a priority to re-sign. Bringing Bojan in both stabilizes the other forward spot for two more seasons so this team can stay together as all that will be left to do is re-sign Ayo and figure out what to do with Vucević.
Bojan offers a HUGE upgrade at the forward spot and more than doubles Patrick Williams’s production there. He also gives an immediate upgrade in spacing to DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. A starting five of Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Bojan Bogdanović, and Nikola Vucević does offer a ton of offensive firepower. The defense will take a hit for Chicago, and that may hold up a deal like this. But, again if you keep this team as is and you don’t make the playoffs then it almost necessitates a rebuild with DeMar turning 34 next year, Vucević becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the growing rumbles of Zach LaVine wanting to return to LA. Bulls seem primed to make a move like this to convince everyone to give it more time by adding a great complementary piece in Bojan.
It was reported in the 2020 NBA Draft that Detroit General Manager Troy Weaver was going to select Patrick Williams with the seventh pick. While that never happened, if the reports were true then Weaver would finally get his man. While the stats of 10.2 points per game seem underwhelming, Williams defense are a needed addition to a Pistons squad lacking any resistance to opposing wings. Williams’s shooting splits of 49.6% from two, 40.9% from three, and 89.2% from the free throw line will also be the perfect complement to guys like Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham (long term) as a highly efficient role player.
Far from a throw-in, Caruso is also a MUST for this Pistons squad who need about three more guys that commit to playing defense the way Caruso does. There is a report out there that the Bulls want two first-round picks for Caruso…but that is unlikely. Caruso is a great defender, but it is hard to see ANY team coughing up ONE first round pick for someone scoring 5.7 points per game this season. Caruso’s shooting splits of 50/40.2/77.8 would also be great for a Pistons squad in need of more efficient role players. Perhaps Caruso’s inclusion requires the Pistons to send multiple second round picks back in addition to Bojan. I think that is easily doable as the Pistons own multiple in the years to come and really need both Williams and Caruso’s defense and efficiency.
Eating a Big Contract
Why Detroit would do it: Get in early on Jalen McDaniels
Why Charlotte would do it: Get rid of Hayward contract
Okay if you hate this deal, just know that I 100% believe Charlotte MUST attach at least one first round pick to this. Gordon Hayward has not worked out for them due to injuries and I am sure they want to clear him from their books to retain guys and bring in better reinforcements. They look to have a good amount of cap space even without unloading Hayward, but without him they could make a big offer for guys they need like Jerami Grant, Gary Trent Jr., or Kyle Kuzma.
The Hornets also get an actual small forward in the meantime! Bojan will provide spacing for LaMelo, PJ, and Mark Williams Hayward was supposed to. Bagley is thrown in to make the money work and has never been able to stay fully healthy during the season, but he has consistently showed the ability to score and be a constant lob threat. Something I am sure LaMelo would love more of. Exchanging your SF who is hurt and on his way out with a consistent 3 point threat and lob threat scoring big off the bench? Sounds good for a Hornets team in need of both.
Detroit would love to take another pick for taking on a bad contract first and foremost. The Pistons would also do well to take a flyer on a promising forward defender in Jalen McDaniels and pick up some draft capital to boot. Yes, McDaniels will be a free agent this summer; but as Detroit GM Troy Weaver has shown (Dennis Smith Jr., Marvin Bagley III) immediate free agency will not deter him from a player he likes.
At six-foot nine 205 pounds McDaniels has rare size as well as the ability to defend multiple positions. You would like for his three-point numbers to be better this season as he currently posts a 32.7% from downtown on the season. His career 34.4% from long range, however, shows that he is a better shooter than what this season’s percentages say, as does his 83.4% from the line this year on a career high 1.9 attempts per game. He has also never posted below 52.2% from two point range as well so he is another efficient role player the Pistons should welcome.
Helping Out a Contender
Why Detroit would do it: Get a defensive wing prospect who can play in the rotation right now.
Why Dallas would do it: They NEED to build a title contender like yesterday
So I put this list together BEFORE the Kyrie Irving trade thinking MAYBE Dallas would do this. Now that Kyrie is in Dallas, I think the Mavs NEED to make a move like this. Perhaps the Mavs can swing for a player better than Bojan, but with what little trade assets they have left I find it hard to believe they could find a 21.4 points per game scorer who perfectly complements Luka and Kyrie with 41.9% shooting from three AND has been a consistent 18 points per game scorer in the playoffs the past two seasons. And Bojan has also seen playoff time with Brooklyn, Washington, and Indiana in addition to his most recent runs with Utah. With the realty that Kyrie could just put up the peace sign and bounce in five months, Dallas most likely HAS to do something else to take advantage of this team.
This is another deal where the Pistons definitely NEED another first round pick included in the deal as they would be taking on Davis Bertans and his contract. BUT, this contract also is not as bad as it seems as Bertans’s contract is guaranteed next season, but then only $5,000,000 of his salary is guaranteed the following season (the team would have to play Bertans 75% of the regular season games the previous season for it to be fully guaranteed). But, more importantly in this deal is the promise of young wing Josh Green.
Josh Green is athletic, efficient, and plays with hustle every possession. On the season Green is posting 8.1 points per game playing 22.7 minutes per game with shooting splits of 67.4% from two, 41.3% from three, and 71.2% from the free throw line. Listed at six-foot five-inches tall and 200 pound with great Athleticism, Green is right up there with Patrick Williams as the exact kind of young wing the Pistons should be shopping for. Green would not only fit the Pistons timeline as he is just 22 years old, but he would bring the needed efficiency and hustle this team needs at the wing spot.
Rescuing the King
Why Detroit would do it: Use the Lakers desperation against them
Why the Lakers would do it: They NEED guys who complement LeBron
I mean I don’t even need to explain this in much detail. Who can the Lakers get that is better than Bojan right now? Their first round picks should be meaningless to them so long as LeBron and AD are a part of the squad. LeBron needs shooters around him. While Lonnie Walker has been good for them, he is not making a big difference and they will not be able to pay him what other teams can in the open market this summer as he will be an unrestricted free agent.
The Pistons can take a pick or two from a team losing on and off the court. They also pick up a promising young wing in Lonnie Walker whose shooting and athleticism is needed. Patrick Beverley is more of a throw in for salary match and they could buy him out if need be. But again, this deal would be all about how much the team could squeeze out of the Lakers who NEED Bojan.
Adding a LEGIT Defensive Wing
Detroit takes Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz while Philly takes Alec Burks and Rodney McGruder
Why Detroit would do it: They NEED a defender the caliber of Matisse Thybulle
Why Philly would do it: They don’t want the guys they are sending out anyway and NEED some kind of punch off their bench
This deal makes a TON of sense for both parties. Philly refuses to play Thybulle and Korkmaz as Doc Rivers seems not to like either player. Alec Burks is a luxury for this Pistons squad with his top-notch 6th man skills. Burks provides the scoring and shooting the Sixers were hoping Korkmaz would provide, Thybulle gives Detroit the defensive ace it has been lacking. Korkmaz is most likely a throw in here with hopes his shooting can return to form.
Thybulle will be another reclamation project for Troy Weaver and the Pistons, but one where his role WILL be defined and he won’t be forced into a scoring and offensive role that he was never ready for. Ivey can feed him in the corners and even Saddiq and Killian can get him open shots right now as we all wait for Cade’s return—which will help Thybulle to focus on defense even more. If ANYONE has the chance to be this generation’s Tony Allen it is Matisse Thybulle and playing alongside the offense the Pistons already have would help him to get as close to that as possible.
The One That (I believe) Is Worth Giving Up a 2024 1st Round Pick
Why Detroit would do it: Get a six-foot nine-inch three-and-D sniper on the wing
Why New Orleans would do it: They didn’t pay all this money to be in the 10 spot
These final two deals are more of a hail Mary play for the teams involved, but ones that make sense for where the teams are at. New Orleans has a payroll of just over $146 million that is set to balloon to over $169 million next season and currently sit at the 10 seed. Like I said in why they would do it, they didn’t pay all this money to be the 10 seed. Oh and did I mention Dallas is in their division and they just traded for Kyrie???
With Herb Jones in search of a pay day after next season and the Pelicans starting center Jonas Valančiūnas also in need of a new contract at the same time, the time is soon for figuring out who will stay and who will go. Bojan offers the shooting needed to give Zion spacing alongside Ingram and McCollum. While Murphy has played the second most minutes while scoring 12.7 points per game and shooting 39.2% from three on this Pelicans team, this squad has lost 19 of its last 27 games so a change is needed. Murphy could be viewed as a consistent supplementary player that they need a clear upgrade from in order to get back into the playoffs.
What could convince the Pelicans of that would be Detroit’s 2024 unprotected first-round pick! While that may seem like a high price to pay, I’d be willing to bet on Murphy as his consistency is just what the Pistons need. With Cade next season and even now with Ivey, Saddiq, Stew, Duren and Co. there are so few guys who do put up Murphy’s consistent stat line. Couple this with his six-foot nine-inch 206 pound frame and you have a guy who defenders have a tough time blocking his shot.
Also, the Pelicans SHOULD want to get off Devonte’ Graham’s contract like yesterday and I imagine Bojan and a pick would entice them to give up Trey Murphy in exchange.
The Three-Team Trade That Just Might Work
Why Detroit would do it: FINALLY get a good wing defender
Why Atlanta would do it: Better complementary guys to Trae and Dejounte; greater salary flexibility
Why Toronto would do it: Get more athletic in the frontcourt; no more worrying about Gary Trent Jr. free agency
Why not just throw ALL the guys in trade rumors together?! But seriously, this is a swap that makes sense for getting guys to better situations that would welcome what they bring to the table. My Pistons get the top-notch forward defender they so desperately need. Atlanta gets two great shooters to help out their guards and big men. Toronto adds another big body guy that adds more athleticism to their frontcourt while also not having to worry about paying Gary Trent or losing him for nothing.
Atlanta most likely jumps at the chance to make this move as they are in a similar WIN NOW predicament to many teams highlighted on this list. Bojan and Gary Trent Jr. immediately provide Trae, Dejounte, Okongwu, and Capela with more spacing to operate. It allows the team to bring AJ Griffin along slowly and not rely on him right now for winning plays. And, it can keep DeAndre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanović in the roles that suit them best. Replacing Collins with 2 legit shooters who fit the team better is just what the team should want in a trade.
Atlanta, also, basically have no way out of this current roster until MAYBE 2025 when Clint Capela’s contract expires…and even then they will still be paying Trae Young $45,999,660, DeAndre Hunter $23,303,571, and if they keep John Collins he will have a player option of $26,580,000. Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanović both come off the books after next season, but the Hawks still have $123,963,072 on the books with them gone. Gary Trent gives them a rental who COULD come off the books this offseason if it doesn’t work, and Bojan ends up being cheaper than Collins and his salary is only partially guaranteed in 2024-25 so there would be more money off the books.
Toronto and OG Anunoby seem to be at the point of no return. And while Collins is not the shooter OG is, a change of scenery could restore Collins’s shot. This IS the first season where Collins is shooting under 34% from three and there is reason to believe it more has to do with being jerked around by the Atlanta brass than Collins’s game suddenly regressing. Also a Collins-Pascal Siakam frontcourt does have great complementary skills with Siakam’s defense covering for Collins and Collins’s athleticism covering for Siakam. I would also include a 2024 unprotected first round pick if I were Detroit to make this a sweet deal as losing OG is a terrible scenario and what Atlanta has left in terms of picks and players is way less than this Pistons pick.
Detroit finally gets a great defender that also doesn’t bog down the offense. Anunoby’s three-point shooting percentage in his last 27 games was 39.2% and now no one is just going to roll through the middle of this Detroit defense. Why I would give up a 2024 unprotected pick is I expect the Pistons to be picking either at the end of the lottery or in the 20s by this point. With a healthy Cade and guys like Saddiq Bey, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, and Isaiah Stewart more firmly entrenched in their roles this is a squad with defensive potential and a clear offensive superstar that leads the way. I feel confident that OG is far better than whoever the team could get in the 2024 draft or on the open market in free agency.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my trade hopes and dreams here! Let me know in the comments what you think. Is there one scenario here you really like? Really hate? What would your ideal deal be this trade deadline?