RealGM

The Pistons are having a solid enough season so far and have drastically improved spacing with their new vet free agents. The team should now look at the deadline and consider taking advantage of some of the vet value and see if they can get an asset and even talent that makes sense long term.

1. Miami - Tobias Harris, unprotected future 2nd FOR T. Rozier, N. Jovic

Why for MIA: The Heat are still a competitive team, one with solid youth and defensive culture in place. Adding Harris to the group may elevate their chances of another deep playoff run and perhaps enough to convince Jimmy to stay for less.

Why for DET: The Pistons would be better suited having a pure spacing 1 next to Cade and move Ivey to 6th man. This move allows that and gives ample opportunity for 21 year old Nikoa Jovic to be their 4 of the future. Jovic showed great signs early on in Miami and is a great worthy flyer for Detroit.

2. Cleveland - Tobias Harris FOR Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade

Why for CLE: Harris would be a fantastic option as a small ball 4 next to Mobley at the 5. The move helps Cleveland introduce better spacing around Spida. Cavs also shed salary long term. The move would have to be done post Jan 27th given Allen recently signed a 5 yr extension.

Why for DET: Allen is on a 5 year deal, worth $20M/year. He gives Detroit a much more solid presence at the 5 long term and is a better lob option with Cade. The move would also jettison Simone to the starting 4 who has played well and may warrant more minutes. As a result the incoming Wade slots in well as the clear back up 4. The move does add a bit of a log jam with Duren/Stew, but best for Pistons to get the core fit first and then also work out the rest of that rotation.

3. Sacramento - Tobias Harris,THJ FOR Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk, Trey Lyles

Why for SAC: The move cleans up Kings rotation and slots talent to their right position: Sabonis/Harris/Murray/DeRozan/Fox is a more sensible unit. Ellis would also get more time here and the disgruntled and long term Monk needs a new scenario.

Why for DET: Pistons could use long term spacing and get it here with Huerter, who would start immediately next to Cade at the wing. Monk is a proven long term option for 6th man and a needed finisher for Detroit. Lyles would split with Simone as stop gap spacing PFs.

4. Chicago - Tobias Harris, THJ FOR Zack Lavine, Patrick Williams

Why for CHI: The Bulls shed a boat load of salary long term and still get back interim spacers to surround Coby White and Giddey. Harris and THJ play a bit more off ball and can allow for the aforementioned 2 and Ayo to further develop. The move could also open up more usage and min to Buzelis.

Why for DET: A bit of a salary risk as the team takes on an additional $20M in salary, still talent is talent. Lavine is 29, but has low market value right now despite being a stellar shooter and offensive weapon. A Cade/Lavine backcourt is mighty enticing and P-Will would slot in at the 4. The Pistons' would elevate their talent level and could make a legit run for the play-in.

5. OKC - I. Stewart FOR I. Joe, Jaylin Williams

Why for OKC: They need more 4/5 depth for a title run and now have enough smaller guards.

Why for DET: Joe is an interesting long term spacing option and Jaylin also provides a spacing 5 off the pine for Detroit.

6. DEN - I. Stewart, T. Harris FOR MPJ, D. Saric

Why for DEN: Help ressurect the season by getting better 4/5 depth AND a better short term, cost effective fit in Harris.

Why for DET: MPJ is 26 and on a lengthy deal, but could be great long term small ball 4 risk for their core.

These trades are all over the place. Trades 2 (Jarrett Allen) and 3 (Malik Monk) are pipe dreams and trade 4 (Zach Lavine) has them shooting themselves in the shoe. I don't think OKC and Nuggets want take the risk in trades 5 and 6. That leaves trade 1 which isn't far off value wise but probably doesn't really move the needle either way. Pistons are probably better off selling ther cap space.

I like MPJ for the Pistons, I would do that...
an alternative idea...
Is it legal to trade for Lauri at the deadline? THJ(expiring)/Duren/future FRP + Holland (or Thompson)for Markkanen/Kessler

Kessler/Stewart
Markkanen/Fontecchio
Harris/Thompson
Ivey/Beasley
Cade/Sasser

Agreed that the Miami trade is the most realistic. And DET should jump all over it if available.

Miami trade is interesting, but it leaves the Heat short in the backcourt. Might work better if the Pistons attached Sasser (instead of the 2nd) and then got a 2nd back from the Heat.

I would trade neither Dean Wade nor Jarrett Allen for Tobias Harris. I'd have to think about Niang and/or LeVert given their respective contracts. This is way off.

Honestly, I think the chances of detroit moving Tobias are about 0%. He's one of the few vets that really wants to be in detroit and he's been a fantastic mentor for all the young guys. It would really have to be a lopsided trade talent wise for us to see him on the move.

That Jarrett Allen proposal is wild, yeah. Detroit would do it in a heartbeat, obviously, but that's selling super low on Allen for no apparent reason.

A couple of seconds, THJ and Stewart for Ingram.
NO might bite since they need a center. Or, add some other incentive.

I think NO would send CJ and a second for THJ and Stewart - but is CJ a good fit.

Pistons cap space is really valuable right now, so any trades are gonna be in that area, as a facilitator. Its gonna cost a 1st in this draft for any team.

zeebneeb wrote:Pistons cap space is really valuable right now, so any trades are gonna be in that area, as a facilitator. Its gonna cost a 1st in this draft for any team.

Good luck!

Texas Chuck wrote:

zeebneeb wrote:Pistons cap space is really valuable right now, so any trades are gonna be in that area, as a facilitator. Its gonna cost a 1st in this draft for any team.

Good luck!

Top 29 protected FRP that becomes 3 SRPs

I've always liked Tobias Harris...but NOT anywhere as much as the OP. I don't think he has a fraction of the trade value you're presuming.

zeebneeb wrote:Pistons cap space is really valuable right now, so any trades are gonna be in that area, as a facilitator. Its gonna cost a 1st in this draft for any team.

And this is exactly what the Pistons should be doing. Either trade for players who are going to improve the team in the short/medium term or draft picks. There is no way the Pistons should be trading away their cap space for players who are not going to move the needle. Picks are more valuable currency.

I don't really see why Detroit would be aggressive. Try to use the cap space by being the 3rd team in a trade and get a good bench player for free, or a ton of 2nds or maybe they can turn the Raptors 2nd in 2025 they own (currently #35) into a pick in the low 20s.

Would Orlando trade one of their firsts (they own Denver's too), Jett Howard, Cole Anthony and Gary Harris's expiring for #35, Hardaway JR's expiring and Fontecchio? Orlando gets a couple of shooters and saves 18M next year and sneaks just under the tax? Pistons move up 10-15 picks and can grab a shooter in the low 20s as one of the Knueppel/McNeeley/Riley group will fall (or you take Kam Jones or Drake Powell or whoever), take a flier on Jett Howard as one of the 2-3 young Beasley/Hardaway/Fontecchio shooters they should want younger versions of to bring in around Cade/Ivey/Holland/Thompson/Duren.

End of the day, they have a very exciting young starting backcourt (Cade + Ivey), a couple of promising forwards who can't shoot (Holland + Thompson), a productive young center who seems to make his team worse overall (Duren), a theoretical young stretch big (Stewart) and that's not just not a strong enough frontcourt setup to be trying to sneak into the playoffs at this stage.

I'd be tempted to move on from Fontecchio and get to like 20M in cap room, let the young forwards play and miss their 3s, get to like the 8-10 spot in the draft and pick the best shooter around (Knueppel, McNeeley, Riley) or they could be the team that goes after Derik Queen since a scoring center who can't block shots might fit alright with Thompson/Holland, a shooter, Cade and Ivey, maybe try to overpay Nickeil Alexander-Walker and bring back Beasley and go into next year like this:

Duren-Stewart
Holland-Thompson
NAW-Knueppel
Ivey-Beasley
Cade-Sasser

or draft Queen, then move Stewart for a shooting wing from a team that wants some toughness and believe in Stewart's shooting potential, let's say you get Huerter from the Kings or something because the Kings need frontcourt depth and have Devin Carter coming back next year to get some perimeter minutes, and look like this:

Duren-Queen
Holland-Thompson
NAW-Huerter
Ivey-Beasley
Cade-Sasser

The Pistons shouldn't be scarred by last year. No reason to give up future assets, they might only have 2 starting quality players on the roster, probably more like 3 if they're bearish overall on Duren/Holland/Thompson and maybe 4 if they're really high on that group.

zimpy27 wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:

zeebneeb wrote:Pistons cap space is really valuable right now, so any trades are gonna be in that area, as a facilitator. Its gonna cost a 1st in this draft for any team.

Good luck!

Top 29 protected FRP that becomes 3 SRPs

Our "core" is visible only if you squint really hard, and I don't think our "vets" have anywhere near the value suggested in these proposed trades, but our GM's cap management has been stellar so far and there is legit hope that he can leverage that into assets that can make a difference.

Zeebneeb is right. It's not just the $14M in cap space this year. It's also having $44M in space under the luxury tax this year, $22M in playable ECs, plus able to take on at least $40M in someone else's unwanted salary in 2025-26. No other team is close rn in terms of financial flexibility, and it is our best asset other than Cade.