ESPN: Pistons Interested in SG Tim Hardaway Jr

[princeofpalace]

Pistons have interest in Hardaway Jr.

If you're looking for any clues regarding potential draft-night trades, here's one: the Detroit Pistons are said to have interest in trading for Tim Hardaway Jr. and have tried to engage the Knicks on a deal, per league sources.

Detroit may be looking to move guard Brandon Jennings because the organization traded for fellow guard Reggie Jackson last season. Jackson will be a restricted free agent this summer.

Jennings is entering the final year of his contract and will make $8.3 million next season. In a Jennings-for-Hardaway Jr. swap, the Knicks would likely have to use their trade exception and adjust their outgoing assets to make the deal work.

It's unknown if the Knicks would want to take Jennings' salary out without further enticement. It's also worth noting that former NBA star Tim Hardaway Sr., Hardaway Jr.'s father, is an assistant coach with the Pistons.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-knicks/post/_/id/62336/uclas-kevon-looney-could-fit-with-knicks

While many ppl have repeated that we are fine at SG, it appears that SVG is not too happy with the 2guard position as he is looking at trading for Hardaway Jr. I wonder if he is planning to dangle Meeks or KCP for a SF because Im not sure why he'd be chasing Hardway Jr otherwise.

With Austin Rivers looking a lot better under his father, perhaps the thought is the same thing could happen with THJ?

Honeslty, Id be fine if we drafted Booker if Winslow is off the board, shipped KCP off for a SF and found a way to acquire THJ. I think we'd be a lot better off at the wing positions.

[bballnmike]

Interesting. I'll wait to see if there's any legs to this, these next few days should be exciting

[Piston Pete]

Jennings, KCP, #8

for

Calderon, THJ, #4?

[DETermination]

Jennings, KCP, #8

for

Calderon, THJ, #4?

YES YES Yes. Probably ain't happening but Yes lol. But more realistically I could see Jennings for THJ and Calderon. I would love to have Calderon back as backup pg he would fit perfectly into Stans system.

[need4detroit]

Not a big fan of trading KCP.

[Piston Pete]

^^ Me neither.

[Liqourish]

^^ Me neither. And i think is just more speculation because his dad works for the Pistons. I don't see a trade happening.

[Dirtgrain]

Do not like Calderon at all--he so slowed up the offense and bogged things down (with no positive effect). But maybe SVG could figure out how to get him to play productively.

Also not too keen on giving up KCP, who I think is a better defender, for Hardaway, who I think is an inferior defender (and bickering with Anthony a while ago--I wonder was Hardaway a locker room downer--not sure on his attitude, but he did seem cool at Michigan).

But 8 for 4 is a pretty big swap. I don't even know if this the proposed trade here has any legitimacy. Maybe we would have to throw in a future first (which I would never do)?

[ducler]

Why not, but only as a sub which means Jodie should be traded.

[jakebernat]

^i disagree. SVG values KCP and his defense very highly, as evidenced by how he led us in minutes played last season,so I think the plan would be to move forward with KCP andTHJ as an defensive-offensive 1-2 punch. Meeks isn't gonna get any younger, so if we could add a young talent like THJ without sacrificing any real assets, we should do it, especially if we can move up to 4 in the process, though we'd almost assuredly have to take on Calderon in the process, but that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world

[Piston Pete]

I'm not high on any of the THJ scenarios. We just don't need a third SG.

I'm not even a fan of THJ for #38 - because that's where we have a C being pegged as our pick - which we need.

[coordinator0]

Who is Ian Begley and why should we believe him?

[El Chivo]

no thanks.

[ImHeisenberg]

Meeks+Jennings+#38 for THJ works for me. I'd prefer to keep KCP, his defensive potential and continuing improvement gives me hope he can be a really good contributor in the future.

[DETermination]

I would rather keep KCP too. Only reason id trade him is if they offered number 4 pick which aint happening.

[Entourage27]

Tim Hardaway is not a player I'd be interested at this time. Let's devote our time to positions of need. KCP and Jodie Meeks at the 2 is very strong for our lineups and rotations to compete in games KCP is just blossoming and could still be an All-Star one day and Jodie Meeks on a down season was a solid player for us when healthy. Hardaway would just cloud up the backcourt.

If we were to actually trade Jennings the ideal trade scenarios are for either a player who can start for us at the 3 or 4 spot or to move up in the draft. I also believe we would even take a future first packaged with a backup pg.

Those are the only trades I think is worth trading Jennings. If we don't receive any of that it's better to just keep him because he's still an expiring contract and he can build up his trade value towards the trade deadline. So to reiterate my main point THJ is not a good trade for us at all.

[El Chivo]

I'd rather keep Meeks, too.

Why give up assets and a shooter for a dumb chucker?

[The Penguin]

Jennings needs to be dealt. Anyone who thinks he's going to willingly take a reduced role behind Jackson in his FA walk year is kidding themselves. He's a tough piece to move for value given his injury along with almost every team being set with a young pg. You are reading into it too much if you see this as an indictment on the SG talent on our roster, it's simply Stan moving a guy who is likely to be a distraction for a guy we'd be buying low on along with freeing up more FA money.

I'm not sure if Melo & Jennings have a relationship, but both are Oak Hill guys. For all the supposed allure of the Knicks, they have not done well in FA. When it comes to UFA point guards who can start for you, the list is basically Rondo, given the Knicks need to upgrade the position, it might not be the worst idea to bring in Jennings for a 1 year trial.

[coordinator0]

There's no chance Caldwell-Pope is traded for Hardaway. None. He's undeniably a worse defender and if you believe in the numbers Kentavious and Tim are comparable shooters. New York doesn't have the assets to make up the difference either. Second round picks are as close to valueless as you can get with this draft as the 4th isn't going to be on the table in this kind of a deal.

If something does happen between these two teams it's going to be a minor trade. Acquiring a player like Hardaway Jr. in no way makes either Caldwell-Pope or Meeks expendable either. He's a fringe rotation guy.

One trade idea over on New York's board was Calderon and Hardaway Jr. for Jennings and the 8th pick followed or preceded by a TPE for Ilyasova.

[theBigLip]

I'd be down for this trade, just THJ for Jennings. Low risk for the Knicks but gives them a legit PG that we don't need (and probably can't keep after next year anyway). THJ is not a dumb chucker, he's been around pro basketball all his life. There is a reason he's been getting quality minutes even though he wasn't a super high scorer at Michigan - he knows how to play the game. But that does cause a bit of a logjam at our 2 - so if we can followup with a Meeks deal for a backup 3 or 5, that would be nice.