Reports that the Bulls, Trail Blazers and Grizzlies are all interested in moving up in the draft could create some trade options for the Pistons with the No. 5 pick, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. He explores potential deals with all three teams that would still leave Detroit with a first-round selection.
Edwards’ proposed trade with Chicago is a swap for No. 11 in this year’s draft, plus a top-four protected pick in 2027. That would allow the Pistons to pick up some future draft capital and still wind up with a prospect such as Colorado’s Cody Williams, G League wing Ron Holland or French forward Tidjane Salaun.
Edwards suggests helping Portland clear cap space by taking Jerami Grant, the No. 14 pick and possibly Matisse Thybulle in exchange for No. 5. That could speed up the Blazers’ rebuilding process by giving them two selections in this year’s top seven while saving them about $40MM next season.
With Memphis, Edwards proposes parting with the fifth pick in exchange for the ninth choice in this year’s draft and a top-four protected pick in 2025. That gives Detroit an extra selection in what’s projected to be a stronger draft next near, while Memphis has a better shot to land a center such as UConn’s Donovan Clingan.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Darvin Ham, who was fired by the Lakers last month after their first-round playoff loss, will rejoin the Bucks as the top assistant to Doc Rivers, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Before being hired by L.A., Ham spent four years in Milwaukee, where he built a reputation as one of the league’s top assistant coaches.
- Eric Nehm of The Athletic kicks off a series of Bucks draft previews by looking at guards who could still be on the board at No. 23 and 33. Nehm profiles Pitt’s Carlton Carrington, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, A.J. Johnson, who played in Australia this season, UC Santa Barbara’s Ajay Mitchell, Creighton’s Trey Alexander, Houston’s Jamal Shead, UConn’s Cam Spencer and Colorado’s KJ Simpson.
- Speaking on the Wine and Gold podcast, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said he doesn’t expect Dan Hurley‘s decision on the Lakers‘ coaching job to impact the Cavaliers‘ search. Fedor considers James Borrego to be the current front-runner in Cleveland, and he speculates L.A. will turn to J.J. Redick if Hurley declines the team’s offer.
Since 2020, how many top 10 picks have been traded after the lottery spots have been fixed? I can think of a couple of swaps of the 10th pick, and that’s it. This despite many teams in that range, in each of the 4 drafts, expressing a willingness to move their pick, and countless trade rumors. The lack of a clear hierarchy at the top in this draft may open things up, but I’m not convinced. It takes at least some guts to move out of the top of the draft, and that’s one thing that is in very short supply among NBA FO’s these days.
A trade of the #5 pick for another 2024 lottery pick and an UNprotected 2025 first round pick would be a good move for the Pistons. Not sure the Blazers would give that up if they plan on tanking and blowing it up.
Otherwise Detroit needs to draft, sign and re-sign as much shooting as they possibly can.
No, Blazers wouldnt be interested in trading a 1st this year and an unprotected next (Chicago owns their protected 1st until 2028 so they can’t trade their own besides this year until then). Blazers are apparently interested in trading for Detroit’s 1st since Pistons have cap room to absorb contracts without sending back. So like article said, Grant, Thybulle, and #14 for #5 to go full blown rebuild but with actual cap space for Portland. Without trading salaries away, they’d just keep the 2 lottery picks they have this year.
Wow Blazers are so stingy, plus I just assumed with the Lillard and McCollum trades they would have more draft capital than they actually do. Portland is in real rough shape!
That would be an absolutely asinine trade for the Bulls, which of course doesn’t mean you can rule it out. Why not leverage your future for a nonexistant present, am I right?