Even though the Pistons are floundering with franchise player Cade Cunningham sidelined, general manager Troy Weaver remains confident that the franchise will soon become a perennial contender, he told James Edwards III of The Athletic.
“A lot of teams go through rebuilds, retooling, whatever you want to call it, and they can’t make it out of it because of what they have in the locker room,” the Pistons’ top exec said. “We take tremendous pride in having the right guys and having a great locker room so that we can fight through this thing. Trust me, the dam is going to break, and when it breaks, it’s going to have a great flow to it. We just have to stay patient, stay in the boat and keep working.”
Weaver plans to remain active before the trade deadline to improve the Pistons’ chances of long-term success: “We’re going to approach this deadline like we approached the previous ones. We’re going to turn over every rock, and if something comes our way that we think can improve our team, we’ll look at it, for sure.”
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Who’s the most untouchable player on the Bulls’ roster? The answer may be a surprise, if you trust one of Joe Cowley’s Chicago Sun-Times sources. Alex Caruso could be the one untouchable before the trade deadline because of his defense and how he impacts the game, as reflected in the plus/minus category, Cowley writes.
- Wing Matisse Thybulle is headed to free agency this summer — possibly restricted if he’s extended a qualifying offer — and Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice examines the pros and cons of the Sixers trading him. He could be a defensive factor in the postseason and the Sixers have a 10-0 record in games when he plays 20 or more minutes. However, he remains a major offensive liability.
- It once seemed unthinkable but it’s not so far-fetched now that the Knicks would consider a reunion with Wizards big Kristaps Porzingis, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Porzingis can reject his $36MM player option for 2023/24 in order to become a free agent this summer. The Knicks could also target the shot-blocking, three-point specialist if he becomes available on the trade market.
Knicks + Porzingis would really rub it in Dallas’s face. Mavs traded so many picks away for Kristaps and then lost Jalen Brunson to the Knicks already. KP+Dallas was an epic fail and Mark Cuban hopefully already regrets it. This would just make him regret it even more.
I’m not sure how Porzingas would work salary-wise for the Knicks. On top of that, he didn’t particularly enjoy his time in NYC, especially the end.
They could do Mitchell Robinson and Derrick Rose for KP right now. Win win, if KP wanted to go back home. Having KP be a stretch would help Randle and RJ inside also.
Next year the Wiz will have 48 million wrapped in KP/Gafford if KP picks up his option.
I like Mitch too much. To me he’s the most underrated Knick. Over the last three years if you follow the team closely and watch a lot of games, the team is way better when he’s healthy and in shape. It’s night and day. He draws double teams on box outs and alters/blocks a ton of shots.
But your proposal is technically fair. It probably is close to matching cap wise. I just wouldn’t do it.
I think we have other assets the wizards would be interested in, if we had to trade for him. But I’d rather wait and pursue as a FA. We passed on Donovan Mitchell for all these picks we have, so we better make really good use of them.
He def b*tched out at the end. But the team also sucked then too. He also had all that pressure and expectations on him.
He wouldn’t be coming to a team that sucks, he wouldn’t have all that same pressure of a franchise player lottery pick, and he’s perhaps more mature now.
I can’t speak for our whole fanbase but I would welcome him back. I’ve seen worse sports breakups and then the player returns. LeBron back to Cleveland being the best example.
@Lyman: As a fan, I would love KP back. But from KP’s perspective, the team may be better, but Dolan is still here and so is the awful NY media.
But time, or more importantly money, heals all wounds. So who knows?
Dolan is a jerk to people in the stands. Including if you’re an ex player. He has a huge ago and won’t tolerate you ish talking him. It’s egotistical and emotionally immature.
However, as an owner I think he gets an unfair wrap. For one. He also owns the Rangers and they’re a great franchise. Second of all, he certainly isn’t afraid to spend money. It’s not his fault Phil Jackson basically stole his money and half as*’ed it. Third, he hasn’t interfered with personnel decisions in at least a decade as far as I’m aware.
Now again, is he a jerk? Yes. He shouldn’t be beefing with fans and especially ex players.
But from a players perspective I don’t think he would really concern you.
Now the media, I just think without the same expectations on him this time around plus his added years of maturity he’s be cool with it if the money is right.
I’ve asked this before and hopefully this time I’ll get a response — but what happens to our starting 5 if we acquire another big man? Do we move down Randall and RJ? Or do we have Robinson come off the bench? Our second unit is pretty bad so that would give us a huge boost there.
10-0 when he plays minutes so does his lack of points really matter???
No, Doc being dumb matters.
Washington needs blow it up and start rebuilding this year. They are not going to make the playoffs anytime soon
oddly enough, KP on the knicks would be interesting
Mentioned it last week, but he would be a nice counter compliment with Robinson at Center. Knicks could sign him too if he opts out and if they pulled a move that would send Rose, Reddish and Fournier to the Lakers for Westbrook. Knicks would have the cap to make it happen and the open bench spots to have the draft picks on board. Porzingus, Randle, Barrett, Grimes, and Brunson isn’t too shabby with Robinson, Toppin, Quickley, McBride off the bench plus the draft picks.
Stop, you’re getting me too excited! I would love that team.
NYK have no realistic path to the cap space it would require to sign KP-6 as a FA this off season, nor is he a realistic S&T target (or a regular trade target if he opts in), unless either Randle or Robinson are on the outgoing side of that S&T or another trade.
Don’t we rid ourselves of Fournier and Rose’s contracts? Plus assuming we also shed Reddish. That’s not 40 mil?
Rose (absent us exercising the team option) and Reddish (regardless) are off the books for next year.
There’s still about 135 mm for 11 players. The cap is estimated to be about that, 134 mm. But 1st round picks eat up cap space, and we’re likely to have two of them (8-10 mm in cap holds).
There’s a path to cap space, just not enough. If we 1) trade the picks forward (like last year, remember how happy people were? LOL), and 2) move Fournier (19 mm) without taking back $$, then we can get to 17-18 mm in cap space. After that we can keep trying to move more contracts without taking back $$, maybe Hartenstein (7 mm) and Toppin (6 mm). I don’t think the exercise is realistic. If Jokic or Doncic was a FA with pen out ready to sign, sure. KP-6? No.
If the Knicks made the deal that LAL as mentioned above, the cap room would be available. Furthermore, if they had to move Randle in a S&T, even better. Realistically, they could move IQ and attach Hartenstein and additional cap is available if necessary.
No, you’re numbers are off. Also, Rose and Reddish are expiring contracts just like Westbrook, so they come off at the end of the year regardless. Your trade would remove only Fournier from next year’s cap.
Exactly. Which gives the Knicks the cap room to sign. $36-37M on the contracts for those three. Westbrook deal is doable with the Lakers and he’s over $40M. KP is at $36M currently and will probably remain in that ballpark, just locking in the years.