RealGM

Detroit is about to capture another likely top pick in the draft, but should be aiming closer to consolidaiton of their youth than adding more perimeter talent to a crowded young field that needs usage and even more spacing.

Detroit has a few options heading into draft day, but below are some outside the box new trade concepts to consider:

1. Charlotte - Lamelo Ball
Could Jaden Ivey and a top pick land Detroit Lamelo Ball? While everyone is debating over the quality of the draft, a top pick is still a top pick. Charlotte can have a cost controlled contract and form a young big 3 of incoming rookie, Ivey and Miller. Ball is about to head into an extension and it seems Charlotte may rather cut costs and continue the rebuild than head back into prugatory.

For Detroit, it gives them a great foundation PG to play alongside Cade. The team still has Grimes as the other wing and is already destined to overpay for a vet like Tobias Harris at the 4...or could start building out a roster around those two with more suitable 2-way young talent like Jalen Smith or vets like Dario Saric to help add more big man spacing.

2. OKC - Josh Giddey
Here Detroit would not move the top pick solely for Giddey, but would be some concept of the 9th and 12th picks and Giddey for the top pick. Detroit needs to add young certain talent on the roster. Now, the fit here is not great. Cade, Ivey, Giddey, Thompson, Incoming 9th pick?! That's a lot. BUT, the talent add is undeniable...and though the fit is meh, you hope to figure it out talent wise.

Detroit would need to likely start Giddey with Cade and Grimes and make Ivey and Thompson their super charged 6-7th men off the bench. Fit is bad, but they could get Giddey at good value given PR issues.

OKC here consolidates talent and adds another phenom off their pine while removing a bad fit for a team looking to contend. Again, these franchises are in opposite directions. One needs talent bad, the other should care way more about fit...kind of opposite premises of other deals here though.

3. NOP - T. Murphy/H. Jones
Would NOP want to consolidate themselves and package their two lengthy wings for a top pick? Jonas is a pending FA and Sarr could be the top prospect coming out. Adding Sarr could complete this unit and put New Orleans into contention long term.

For Detroit, we seesaw back to fit. Adding a lengthy, strong defensive shooting wing as either a small ball 4 and unique piece would open up lanes for Cade/Ivey and Thompson. Both talents would really add to their unit flexibility.

4. UTA - Lauri Markkanen
Ainge would be open to moving Lauri for a top pick. Ainge is going ceiling hunting and is still doubling down on a rebuild despite some promising young talent.

For Detroit, Lauri is 26 years old and would open up large driving lanes for their youth. While the move screams win-now, he is a great fit next to Duren at the 5 and would their youthful perimeter talent in tow. The move puts a likely Harris overpay in the back burner, and instead Detroit would focus free agency dollars on rounding out their rotation with 2-way vets to piece the core together.

Josh Giddey is a HORRIBLE fit with Detroit along with just not being a good player.

Josh Giddey is "what if Ausar Thompson had zero athleticism and was a weird creep, but shot 32% on wide open threes" and Ausar is already a horrible fit with that team.

I think you have to trade Ausar Thompson this offseason unless you're planning around him. His value is going to nosedive after this year as people realize that he just cannot shoot at all and will never learn how to.

A Markkanen trade would likely require a top 3 pick plus Jaden Ivey or Ausar at the minimum.

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Josh Giddey is a HORRIBLE fit with Detroit along with just not being a good player.

Josh Giddey is "what if Ausar Thompson had zero athleticism and was a weird creep, but shot 32% on wide open threes" and Ausar is already a horrible fit with that team.

I think you have to trade Ausar Thompson this offseason unless you're planning around him. His value is going to nosedive after this year as people realize that he just cannot shoot at all and will never learn how to.

A Markkanen trade would likely require a top 3 pick plus Jaden Ivey or Ausar at the minimum.

Markkanen for the pick plus Ausar works, not sure if Ainge agrees.

I wouldn’t throw Ivey into a deal - he seems to be developing just fine, and this is just his second year.

theBigLip wrote:

HadAnEffectHere wrote:Josh Giddey is a HORRIBLE fit with Detroit along with just not being a good player.

Josh Giddey is "what if Ausar Thompson had zero athleticism and was a weird creep, but shot 32% on wide open threes" and Ausar is already a horrible fit with that team.

I think you have to trade Ausar Thompson this offseason unless you're planning around him. His value is going to nosedive after this year as people realize that he just cannot shoot at all and will never learn how to.

A Markkanen trade would likely require a top 3 pick plus Jaden Ivey or Ausar at the minimum.

Markkanen for the pick plus Ausar works, not sure if Ainge agrees.

I wouldn’t throw Ivey into a deal - he seems to be developing just fine, and this is just his second year.

Yeah, if the Jazz really think Sarr will learn how to shoot threes, but the Pistons want to stick with Duren at center, then I could see an Ausar+Sarr for Markkanen trade. Ausar really needs a stretch 5 next to him.

Markkanen is also a super interesting star to trade for as whoever trades for him is basically guaranteed to have him for five years if you renegotiate and extend him to a max. Whoever does needs to have $17m in cap space by the midpoint of the season (which means sacrificing luxury tax payouts by being under the cap floor), but that's probably fine for Detroit considering how much they spent on Monty Williams.

Markkanen would be awesome

If Detroit was able to move Ausar + pick for Lauri, then it opens up their cap space to not spend on Tobias.

You could then sign a backup 5 who can space or hopefully defend - Jalen Smith would be a target. I would also look for another backup 2/3 who can be a 3 and D with some ability to put the ball on the floor - Grayson Allen would be a target there. You can keep Simone for insurance and add a low cost vet 2-4 do it all hustle guy like Torrey Craig...and you have some semblence of a team looking to compete for a play-in:

C Duren/J. Smith
PF Lauri/ Stewart
SF Q. Grimes/ S. Fontechio/ T. Craig
SG J. Ivey/ G. Allen
PG C. Cunningham/ M. Sasser