Following a quick start, the Pistons have been one of the league’s biggest disappointments. They were 13-7 after 20 games but have nosedived since early December, dropping 16 of their last 20 games.
Their defense has been atrociously recently, as they got blown out by the LeBron-less Lakers on Wednesday and the Kings on Thursday.
A playoff spot seemed like a safe bet as long as Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson stayed healthy. None of them has missed a game due to injury and Griffin has played at an All-Star level on a regular basis. Yet the bottom line screams that something needs to change.
Drummond’s production has dropped lately and Jackson has underperformed throughout the season under new coach Dwane Casey’s system, which has de-emphasized the pick-and-roll.
The Pistons’ brass reportedly met on Friday to discuss moves to improve the team, with a point guard and creative wing player heading the wish list.
The imminent return of sixth man Ish Smith from an adductor tear should alleviate the point guard situation, which had 37-year-old Jose Calderon playing regular minutes in his absence. However, the wing players, with the possible exception of Reggie Bullock, have not provided consistent production.
The Pistons have a tricky cap situation, thanks to some bad contracts. Jackson can be included on that list which also includes Jon Leuer, Langston Galloway and Glenn Robinson III. Recent first-round picks Stanley Johnson and Luke Kennard have not lived up to their draft status, though some rival executives might believe they have untapped potential. A package of Johnson and/or Kennard with a first-round pick or two may deliver a starter-quality wing.
A more radical move would be sending Drummond, the league’s leading rebounder, packing for a top-level wing player and a big man that could at least take his minutes. The Pistons only have Leuer and aging Zaza Pachulia as backup big men.
That leads us to today’s topic: Should the struggling Pistons trade Andre Drummond to shake up their roster? Or should they move other players and draft picks and keep the Griffin-Drummond frontcourt duo intact?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this discussion. We look forward to your input.
Who cares? Pistons have no hope regardless
Drummond and Jackson for DJ, Matthew’s, and Smith Jr.
Trade the son for the father.
Would trade Drummond for a pack of Skittles.
Lottery Pick > Get swept by Bucks 1st Round.
Well either way they should change something. They should either try and trade and get better to make the playoffs, which shouldn’t be terribly hard in the east, or give the players they have up and tank. They’re still sticking in the middle ground of tanking and playoffs and not benefiting from these seasons. So they should trade. Just depends on what they want to do. Personally I’d tank, because they aren’t going to win a championship or even make a big run in the playoffs anytime soon, even with trades.
Trade Blake.
Trade Drummond.
Keep all your future picks.
Play your crappy young guys and role players.
Lose a lot of games.
Draft well in the next 3 lotteries and see what you have in 2022.
Good luck.
Time to blow it up.
Chandler, Muscala, Fultz, 1st and 2nd.
For Blake*
If they can trade Leuer, Galloway and a first for a starting wing with an expiring contract like Matthews from the mavs I’d do it. If not they need to just start over
Jackson is the biggest issue. He was a problem in Oklahoma City. All of his teammates were happy when he was traded. He cares more about himself than he does helping his team. The Pistons need a better point guard. Trading Drummond isn’t going to fix that issue.
too bad drummond’s not a stretch 5 – he doesn’t fit in today’s nba style.
Ish Smith is the answer? They need a stylesetting PG. Everyone could use Jeremy Lin.
link to espn.com
Detroit improves in the short term by having better complements to Griffin, while vastly improving their cap situation (or at least how they spend their money)
Atlanta takes on a bunch of young reclamation projects/lottery tickets and worsen their team to improve draft positioning.
Sacramento gets a better (???) version of WCS in Drummond, who shores up their rebounding, while addressing the gaping SF hole with Prince.
I would think Sacramento may be reluctant to have Drummond obstruct the development of Giles and Bagley, but considering the pieces they would give up, he seems like someone who fits their uptempo system as a prolific rebounder, pick and roll driver, and open court target.
looks like the trade won’t load on Trade Machine (probably since it’s massive), so here’s the breakdown:
Detroit receives: Kent Bazemore, Jeremy Lin, Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Dewayne Dedmon, Alex Len, Justin Jackson
Sacramento receives: Andre Drummond, Jon Leuer, Taurean Prince, Justin Anderson, Zaza Pachulila, Vince Carter
Atlanta receives: Reggie Jackson, Langston Galloway, Ben McLemore, Willie Cauley-Stein, Stanley Johnson, Henry Ellenson, and Skal Labissiere
Coincidentally, none of the teams would need to waive players on the current roster, as the number of players traded and received all match up.
Well I was getting tired of posters just saying “blow it up” and walking away.
I think SAC says yes. DET ooookaay… a center-by-committee is a fair price for more playmaking & a couple decent young wings.
But. ATL GM Shlenck says, I just got rid of Shroder, now I get Reggie Jackson?– that’s not GSW-like! I want slick, smart, team-oriented PGs. Also, a lot of scrubs to deal with.
Fair point regarding the Hawks. I guess my rationalization was that Jackson and Galloway are hefty expiring contracts next year, which come with their own value. Pessimistically, Jackson throughs another fit, but that serves no one well, and the Hawks just arrange a buyout of some sort. And, of course, my trade doesn’t account for any flow of future picks, which Detroit or Sacramento could offer if desperate enough.
As for the “scrubs” going to Atlanta, I still think there’s a possibility (albeit remote) to salvage each one of them, especially in a low pressure environment. Skal’s ceiling is theoretically a great complement to John Collins, Stanley Johnson could (unlikely) rekindle that assertiveness he displays in those crazy summer pickup games and at least be a wing-stopper, WCS is a vertical spacer and runner for Trae Young who the Hawks can simply let go in restricted agency if they decide to. Ellenson was thought to be a potential rebounder and floor spacer (a la Kevin Love), which is also unlikely but worth a shot in a change of scenery.
Perhaps the Hawks can fetch better future assets series of small trades for their expiring veterans (the more likely route), but the market always yields surprises.
WCS is def the catch, to team with Collins.
If Sacto had drafted Doncic (like they should have) then Atlanta would now be trying to tandem PFs Bagley and Collins (Dallas prob would not have traded up for Bagley).
Anyway WCS is a good fit.
It took them this long to realize a good point guard is important? My goodness.
No they just overpaid Reggie and havent fixed it via trading a 1st
I’m going to claw my own eyes out if I have to watch Jose Calderon play another minute
Pistons aren’t one player or trade away. Not saying they have to completely rebuild, but certainly they shouldn’t be trading draft picks to bolster the current group.
Griffin and Leuer for Wiggins, and the expiring contracts of Bayless, Tolliver and Deng.
Johnson and/or Kennard could be part of a package deal. I’d like to esp. see Jackson, Leuer and Ellenson get moved.