There’s little doubt that the Pistons will benefit in the short-term from bringing Avery Bradley in as a replacement for the much costlier Kentavious Caldwell-Pope but make no mistake, Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News writes, they’re taking a big risk.
While Bradley is further along in his development as a perimeter stopper and boasts a more capable offensive game, the Pistons gave up considerable long-term security knowing that Bradley will hit the market as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Essentially, Wojnowski adds, the Pistons were ready to shake things up and move on from the 24-year-old Caldwell-Pope but in doing so expose themselves to a greater threat of ultimately losing Bradley for nothing. Considering the upside after a stagnant 2016/17, it’s a gamble that a team in Detroit’s position couldn’t turn down.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Cavaliers have brought in Jose Calderon to man their backup point guard position but that doesn’t mean Kay Felder is entirely out of the running, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. “Whoever plays the best will play,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “It’s not like Kay is out of it. He’s just got to continue to grow, get better, and he’s going to continue to get better.“
- A panelist of Bulls writers discussed the prospect of restricted free agent Nikola Mirotic returning to Chicago, with ESPN’s Nick Friedell ultimately saying that the Bulls may have a pre-established limit to how much they’ll spend to retain the big man’s services and if he can land that from another organization, they’ll let him leave.
- A solid performance in the Orlando Summer League helped Eric Moreland land a job as the No. 3 center for the Pistons. “I think he’s an active big that really understands pick-and-roll defense,” Pistons associate head coach Bob Beyer told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
Felder is done. Unfortunately he is to small to play on a championship caliber team, Maybe a team that is rebuilding will give him a shot.
I don’t think he’s done yet, I just think if he doesn’t outplay Jose Calderon he’s done. The Cavs could go to a championship caliber team to rebuilding team really quickly and the Cavs would need Felder much more than Calderon.
Yea the Pistons exposing themselves to the risk of the their bad team breaking up, what a great risk..
KCP (24 yrs old / shooter) to Chicago fits what the Bulls say they want to do – need to renounce Mirotic and Butler TPE and the Bulls would end up w close to $27 million in cap space
It’s ballsy for an organization to make that move in th first year of a rebuild. They need stars. And KCP doesn’t have that trajectory. Worse, he probably puts them in the 8-12 range in next year’s draft. Now, if KCP signs a one year pillow deal somewhere and hits the market again in 2018, it might be different. But the Bulls desperately need to be as bad as possible next year to get a top 5 pick in what appears to be another really good draft.
The Bulls will just waste a lottery pick on more euro trash and one dimensional players. Mediocrity is their M.O.
Bulls should sign mirotic. Now that butler gone. No one out there really to sign that is worth bring to the team. I still say bulls head coach not ready for the nba. They sign Felicio gave him what 32m for what. Should have gave that money to mirotic. Bulls won’t have a championship team for a decade.