3 players the Pistons should target at the trade deadline
Because a 4-win team can't stand pat at the trade deadline, right?!
The NBA Trade Deadline is three weeks away — February 8th.
The Detroit Pistons need to make a move, and GM Troy Weaver has said they’ll be aggressive in trying to do so.
The Pistons could make a splash move to acquire a big name — i.e. Zach LaVine or DeJounte Murray — but whether they have the assets to make a play for an all-star-level player is up for debate.
They could trade Bojan Bogdanovic or Alec Burks — but it will be hard for this team to get better if they’re moving off of one or two of their handful of functional NBA players.
A few guys are likely off the table — Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson. Troy Weaver’s fascination with Isaiah Stewart is painfully documented. I can’t imagine he’s interested in anything other than a deal for an All-Star-level player if the fourth-year big is involved. Jaden Ivey could get dealt, but it would be weird to give up on a guy who had such a strong rookie season and is just now starting to get reps alongside Cunningham in the backcourt.
The team’s first-round pick is tied up in protection hell through 2027. That’s because of the draft day trade Troy Weaver made in his first offseason (November 2020!) to acquire Stewart. Nice.
It’s going to be hard for this team to make a move at the deadline that makes them better. That being said, there are three veterans that Detroit should be targeting at the deadline that could instantly help the team look more like a functional NBA team and not a historically bad one.
Doug McDermott
The Pistons desperately need help on the wing. It’s been apparent all season and even with Bojan Bogdanovic back, Detroit’s is still thin at the forward spots.
McDermott is playing just 16 minutes a game in San Antonio this year but is knocking down 3-pointers at a near 45% clip.
McDermott will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and while that means there’s no guarantee he will stick around past this season, it also means he shouldn’t require a bunch of trade equity from Detroit.
San Antonio’s lack of a floor general has been a widely discussed topic. The Jeremy Sochan experiment has been a failure — that’s the nicest way to put it. The Pistons could give them Killian Hayes, who will have a chance to show if a change of scenery is what was needed to unlock his potential before entering restricted free agency in the summer.
Royce O’Neale
Speaking of wings, Royce O’Neale would be a wonderful addition to Detroit’s roster that needs another veteran who can contribute on the court and play both sides of the ball.
Although his minutes and production have dropped over the last month or so, O’Neale is averaging 7.8 points on 35.6% 3-point shooting in 25 minutes per game for a very average Brooklyn team.
The Nets are said to want a protected first-round pick for O’Neale, but he’s an expiring contract and Brooklyn has a slew of wings on the roster that can absorb his minutes if he’s dealt. As the deadline nears, that asking price may soften and Detroit may be able to throw their name in the jar.
You don’t necessarily want to trade future assets for a veteran wing that’s about to be an unrestricted free agent, but he’s the exact type of player Detroit should be looking to add to this roster not just for the remainder of this season, but long-term.
Plus, the Nets kinda owe Troy Weaver a favor for taking on Joe Harris this past offseason, right? Right?!
De’Andre Hunter
The Hawks suck and are reportedly open for business on the trade market. While Dejounte Murray has been a popular name thrown around, including as a target for Detroit, I don’t see the Pistons having the asset juice to make a move for him mid-year if Atlanta is determined to get two first-round picks for him.
Hunter may still be too rich for Detroit’s blood, but he’d be a worthwhile target nonetheless. He’s not the two-way wing people once hoped he would be when he came out of the draft, but he’s a 6’7” wing who can score the ball and shoot from beyond the arc.
I’m not quite sure what the value on him is, but Atlanta might just want to get off his contract at this point — especially if they are trying to retool around Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, and whatever else they decide to hold on to.
Hunter certainly hasn’t garnered the same interest that other young wings of his level have in years past. I wonder if there’s some behind-the-scenes stuff going on that makes him a less appealing name.
Therefore, here is my mock trade. It’s essentially a salary dump to get off his contract. They get a good second-round pick this upcoming draft attached to Harris and minutes on the wing are open for Johnson, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Saddiq Bey, and AJ Griffin.
Apologies if I am way off on Hunter’s value here. Detroit could sweeten the deal with the likes of Marcus Sasser, but again, Detroit’s cupboard of assets isn’t well-stocked.
Plus, the Hawks kinda owe Troy Weaver a favor for gifting them Saddiq Bey at last year’s trade deadline, right? Right?!