In trading away Delon Wright to the Kings (and receiving veteran point guard Cory Joseph and two second-rounders in return), the Pistons have opened up playing time for their still-developing collective of young guards, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit News.
“We like our young pieces and we’re getting guys back healthy here soon, so it’s going to be a lot of opportunities for guys to come out and compete — and that’s what we’re doing; we’re not just rolling the ball out there,” head coach Dwane Casey said of the post-deadline Pistons. “Guys have to do their job on the offensive end and the defensive end develop winning habits.”
The 12-33 Pistons are currently the bottom seed in the Eastern Conference, and in moving on from established veterans like Wright, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin this season, they have clearly exhibited their commitment to developing the youth around star forward Jerami Grant.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Bulls team president Artūras Karnišovas discussed Chicago’s very active trade deadline that saw the team add All-Star center Nikola Vucevic and others, and his hopes for the team to become a free agent destination, as K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes. “We’re not done (improving the team),” Karnišovas said. “We’re going to keep improving our quality of play. And then keep adding pieces to what this team is going to look like in the future.”
- Before ultimately agreeing to a buyout with veteran center Andre Drummond, the Cavaliers talked to the Mavericks and Raptors about potential trades for the former two-time All-Star’s expiring $28.7MM contract, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The Cavs were ultimately unable to find a deal that made sense.
- Bucks reserve big man Bobby Portis has been sidelined since Milwaukee’s game Friday against the Celtics as a result of the league’s COVID-19 protocols, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Pistons imo had best draft last yr. Building around around Grant is a wise move. Who was also a great signing for them. Pistons are young and this draft is deep and talented. Future is bright for them. Top 5 pick next yr is a future star. Me personally I love when my teams build thru draft. Doesn’t happen a lot strictly thru draft. I mean Knicks have done it since Ewing. And didn’t really do that right. Traded away M Jackson n
R Strickland. Before that it was Willis Reed Knicks.
Yeeeeeesssss. I know my history. Not quite that old.
Have patience Pistons fans ……
Still say it and I’ve been saying since Cavs sat him down. Best fit for Drummond long term. Is Hornets, Raptors, Mavs makes them all legit contenders.
Best fit for Drummond is a time machine set to the year 2000.
When he was 7?
When the NBA actually played the game the way he does. And, of course, if you have ever seen any science fiction, when you get in a time machine, you don’t get younger when you back in time or older when you go to “the future”.
I am not impressed with Drummond, not because of his kinda old-school game, but if you play that game that way, you have to be able to make your free throws. Otherwise, you are just stat-padding and not trying to win games. This is why I am skeptical he will move the needle for the Lakers come playoff time – but they are obviously counting on having AD back to play some 5 at that point, and they still have Harrell.
Interesting take, if you miss your FT’s then you are just stat padding… so that is where Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’neal, Tim Duncan & DH12 went wrong, they were just stat padders & for sure they never tried to win, right?… Now I do get it!
Boy writers are on a roll today… “developing the youth around star forward Jerami Grant”
I mean how loosely can anyone use the word star… seems to have lost all the value once had, right?
How about this; “star Piston, Jerami Grant.” He’s our star, even if he’s not a star in the scope of the entire NBA, haha!