Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Central Division

January 10th, 2020 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2019/20 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

The Central Division may have one or two more sellers than initially anticipated this season. Detroit and Chicago had playoff aspirations in the fall, but are both solidly in the lottery at this point, with the 14-25 Pistons narrowly ahead of the 13-25 Bulls. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries to frontcourt players and may look to move a veteran or two before the trade deadline.

Here are three more trade candidates from the Central, including one from each of those two struggling clubs:

Andre Drummond, C
Detroit Pistons
$27.1MM cap hit; $28.8MM player option for 2020/21

Blake Griffin‘s knee injury, which may be season-ending, makes it all the more likely that the Pistons will throw in the towel on the 2019/20 season and seriously consider getting what they can for Drummond. Even if the return for the big man isn’t massive, it might be a better outcome than seeing him walk for nothing in the offseason or having to invest heavily in a pricey new long-term contract for him.

The Hawks were among the teams linked last week to Drummond and appear on the surface to be an ideal fit for him. They have a massive expiring contract (Chandler Parsons‘) that could be used for salary-matching purposes; they have an extra 2020 first-round pick to offer (the Nets’); and they’re motivated to get up-and-coming star Trae Young some more help.

The idea of a Young/Drummond pick-and-roll combination is legitimately intriguing, but the Hawks have some leverage here — they’ll have more than enough cap room in the summer of 2020 to make a play for Drummond as a free agent. Are his Bird rights important enough that they’d give up a first-round pick and/or another asset of value to land him now?

It would be in the Pistons’ best interests to engage a couple potential trade partners that don’t project to have 2020 cap room in order to put pressure on Atlanta and drive up the price on Drummond. The report linking teams like the Raptors, Celtics, and Mavericks to the big man may have been designed to do that. We’ll see in the coming weeks just how serious those clubs – or others – are about Drummond.

Thaddeus Young, PF
Chicago Bulls
$12.9MM cap hit; $13.5MM guaranteed salary in 2020/21; $14.2MM non-guaranteed salary in 2021/22

It was nearly a month ago that reports surfaced suggesting Young was dissatisfied with his role in Chicago and had privately spoken to the Bulls his desire for increased playing time. At the time, Young was averaging just 21.6 minutes per game, his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2007/08.

Since then, Young’s minutes have increased — but only to 23.3 MPG, and that average is buoyed by his 29.8 MPG in the club’s last three games, which can be attributed partly to Wendell Carter‘s recent ankle injury.

To be fair, it’s hard to blame the Bulls for dialing back Young’s role. His effectiveness has dropped off this season, as his .401 FG% is easily a career low. Still, the veteran forward is only 31 years old, so I don’t know that his struggles are simply the result of him being past his prime. He and the Bulls just haven’t been a good fit so far, and a change of scenery may be in both sides’ best interests.

Young’s contract, which includes a guaranteed $13.5MM cap hit for next season, will probably limit his appeal, but he has reportedly drawn some interest, including from the Clippers. If Chicago can extract even a second-round pick without taking back bad money, it might make sense to pull the trigger.

Myles Turner, C
Indiana Pacers
$18MM cap hit; $18MM guaranteed salaries every season through 2022/23

NBA experts and teams around the league view Turner as a trade candidate. For now though, most importantly, the Pacers don’t. Indiana has insisted for the last couple years that it’s happy moving forward with its duo of Turner and Domantas Sabonis, and a report from earlier today indicated the team continues to rebuff inquiries on Turner.

Turner remains an intriguing speculative trade candidate for a couple reasons. For one, it’s hard to imagine the Pacers as a legit title contender with those two centers playing alongside each other. The Raptors won a championship last spring with Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, but those two vets rarely played together, and Ibaka had to accept a reduced role coming off the bench.

Secondly, Turner’s ability to make three-pointers on offense and block shots on defense makes him the sort of player that teams with frontcourt holes all over the league would love to acquire. He’s locked into a reasonable long-term contract and it’s fair to assume the Pacers could get a strong return if they make him available.

The Pacers’ ideal target in a Turner trade would probably be a versatile, two-way forward who could guard top scorers like Kevin Durant and LeBron James while complementing Sabonis, Victor Oladipo, and Malcolm Brogdon on offense. The problem? There just aren’t many players out there who fit that bill and would actually be available. As such, I’d expect the Pacers to stick to their guns on Turner and only eventually entertain the idea of a trade if they have another disappointing first-round exit this spring.

Revisit the rest of our 2019/20 Trade Candidate series right here.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Amick: Hawks' Trade For Drummond Appears Unlikely

January 10th, 2020 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

A source with knowledge of the situation downplays the likelihood of the Hawks and Pistons agreeing on an Andre Drummond trade, according to Amick, who hears from a second source that Atlanta could already have landed the center if the team was willing to include a first-round pick in its offer.

[SOURCE LINK]

Central Notes: Doumbouya, WCJ, Turner, Love

January 8th, 2020 at 11:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rookie Sekou Doumbouya is working to prove he can be a reliable player for the Pistons and the team is giving him that opportunity.

“What do they say in the Baptist church when you get baptized? ‘Hallelujah.’” Casey said (via Rod Beard of The Detroit News). “OK, so go ahead, put him in the water. He’s in the water and he’s getting baptized with three of the top players in our league, Draymond [Green] and Kawhi [Leonard], and [LeBron] James, so he’s seeing the best he’s going to see right now.”

The No. 15 overall pick has taken on the responsibility of guarding the opposition’s best player on many occasions this season. With Blake Griffin sidelined for the foreseeable future, Doumbouya will have more opportunities to grow.

Here’s more from the Central Division:

Wendell Carter Jr. is dealing with an ankle injury and while the big man believes it’s just a sprain, he’ll undergo an MRI on Thursday, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports relays on Twitter. Carter was originally scheduled to have the MRI on Tuesday but it’ll wait until the Bulls return home from their road trip.
J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star details how Pacers big man Myles Turner has turned his season around. Turning off social media has been a major plus for Turner. “For someone in my position, it can be toxic at times. You start hearing stuff, hearing your name pop up in certain places. You can’t pay it any mind. You got to be comfortable in your own skin,” he said.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (video link) doesn’t believe Kevin Love‘s relationship with GM Koby Altman is all that great. The two recently had a heated exchange and Love has acknowledged that his behavior was childlike, though he insists he and Altman are on good terms and says their supposed altercation was overblown.

Jalen Rose Aspires To Co-Own Pistons

January 8th, 2020 at 7:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Detroit native Jalen Rose has ambitions to join the Pistons‘ ownership group sometime in the future, as he told Richard Deitsch on his podcast (h/t Matt Schoch of The Detroit News).

“I would love to be a minority owner with the Detroit Pistons,” Rose said. “I feel like there’s a wealth of things that I could bring to the table.”

The Pistons are approximately worth $1.27 billion, according to the latest Forbes’ valuation. Tom Gores originally bought a 51% stake in the team for $325MM back in 2011 before buying the remainder of the franchise in 2015.

The Pistons have since opened a new arena in downtown Detroit, a development that earned Rose’s approval.

“I applaud him bringing the team downtown,” Rose said. “That’s something that’d stood out to me.”

Rose also mentioned that he could have an interest in coaching in the future either at the collegiate or professional level. Still, he’s not ready to quit his day job, as he loves ESPN.

“If they’ll have me, I’ll do this until I’m Hubie Brown’s age,” Rose said of his fellow ESPN analyst, who is 86 years old.

Pistons Notes: Griffin, DPE, Jackson, Kennard

January 8th, 2020 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

After Blake Griffin opted to undergo surgery on his troublesome left knee, head coach Dwane Casey offered some comments on the power forward’s absence, as Rod Beard of the Detroit News relays (Twitter links).

“It’s like when Rick Pitino said, ‘Larry Bird isn’t walking through that door.’ … Blake Griffin isn’t walking through that door,” Casey said. “…The 25 points, the leadership, the toughness, the presence of Blake — you’re not going to replace that.”

Griffin had been in and out of the Pistons’ lineup for much of the first half due to his nagging knee issues, appearing in just 18 games. Now that the former No. 1 overall pick is sidelined indefinitely, Casey notes that at least there should be more lineup certainty going forward.

“We know the direction right now,” Casey said. “We know what we’re dealing with — it’s not, ‘Is he playing or is he not playing?'”

Here’s more on the Pistons:

If the Pistons expect Griffin to miss the rest of the season, it would make sense for them to request a disabled player exception – which would be worth $9.26MM – before next Wednesday’s application deadline. Detroit likely wouldn’t use that exception to sign a free agent, given the team’s proximity to the tax line, but it could come in handy on the trade market. For instance, if the Pistons trade someone like Derrick Rose or Langston Galloway and take back a player on an expiring contract whose salary fits into the DPE, they’d create a trade exception worth $7.3MM, which could be used in the summer or next season.
Reggie Jackson saw a specialist in Los Angeles and is making progress as he returns from a back injury, Beard tweets. There remains no timeline for Jackson’s return to the court.
There’s also no update on Luke Kennard, Beard adds in another tweet. Two weeks ago, the Pistons indicated that the third-year guard would be re-evaluated on January 7, but it appears he’s still not ready to return from his knee injury.
As we noted on Tuesday within our Griffin story, Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) says one source briefed on Detroit’s efforts to move Andre Drummond expressed confidence that a trade will be made by next month’s deadline.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Blake Griffin Out Indefinitely Following Knee Surgery

January 7th, 2020 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Blake Griffin has undergone an arthroscopic debridement of his left knee, the Pistons announced today in a press release. According to the team, Griffin will go through an “extended” rehab process, with no timetable set for his return.

The announcement from the club comes just one day after news surfaced that Griffin was visiting a specialist in Los Angeles and considering season-ending surgery. It’s unclear if the procedure he underwent today is the same season-ending one he was reportedly weighing on Monday, but it seems safe to assume he won’t be back in Detroit’s lineup anytime soon.

If it is indeed a long-term injury for Griffin, it may help put the nail in the coffin of the Pistons’ playoff hopes for 2020. After narrowly earning the No. 8 seed a year ago, the team sits at 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 13-24 record. While Griffin has struggled in the 18 games he has played this season, averaging just 15.5 PPG and 4.7 RPG on 35.2% shooting, Detroit was close to .500 (8-10) with him in the lineup. The club has won just five of 19 games without Griffin.

Griffin’s surgery increases the likelihood that the Pistons will be sellers leading up to next month’s trade deadline. Andre Drummond is the club’s biggest trade chip, and Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) says one source briefed on Detroit’s efforts to move the veteran center expressed confidence that a trade will be made by February 6.

As for Griffin, he remains under contract for two more years beyond 2019/20, with a guaranteed $36.8MM cap charge for ’20/21 and a ’21/22 player option worth nearly $39MM. Although the six-time All-Star seems unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon, Detroit could consider moving him in the offseason if he gets healthy and the franchise wants to launch a full-fledged rebuild.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Drummond Would Benefit From Trade

January 6th, 2020 at 8:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Getting traded would be the best thing for Pistons center Andre Drummond, Ben Golliver of the Washington Post argues. Detroit is spinning its wheels and its long-term prospects are not promising, since the Pistons are lacking in young talent and don’t have a long-term solution at point guard, Golliver continues. The Pistons have been unwilling to give Drummond a generous extension, so there’s no reason for him to look back if he’s dealt, Golliver adds. Drummond’s name popped up in trade rumors last week.

Blake Griffin Considering Season-Ending Knee Surgery

January 6th, 2020 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons forward Blake Griffin will visit a specialist in Los Angeles this week in search of solutions to address his left knee issue, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. According to Haynes, one option being considered is season-ending knee surgery.

Griffin, a six-time All-Star, enjoyed one of his all-time best seasons in 2018/19, his first full year in Detroit, but has been limited by knee problems in 2019/20. The 30-year-old has only been able to play in 18 games and has put up career-worst numbers when he’s on the court, including 15.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and an abysmal .352 FG%.

The Pistons had entered the season expecting to load-manage Griffin to some extent, but his ineffectiveness when he plays and his inability to suit up at all for half the team’s games have significantly impacted Detroit’s playoff chances. The Pistons currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 13-24 record.

While it remains to be seen whether Griffin and the Pistons will actually opt for a surgical procedure that ends the big man’s season, there have been multiple signs that the franchise is considering taking a step back from its win-now efforts. Team owner Tom Gores said last week that the management group will have to “assess everything” in the coming weeks, and reports surfaced shortly thereafter suggesting the Pistons were listening to trade inquiries on Andre Drummond.

If Detroit launches a full-fledged rebuild, trading both Drummond and Griffin might make some sense, but a Griffin deal within the next month appears unlikely, especially if he goes under the knife. The former Clipper still has two seasons left on his contract after 2019/20, with a guaranteed $36.8MM cap charge for ’20/21 and a ’21/22 player option worth nearly $39MM.

Andre Drummond Hopes To Stay In Detroit

January 5th, 2020 at 5:33pm CST by JD Shaw

Pistons star center Andre Drummond reiterated his desire to stay in Detroit past the February 6 trade deadline, with rumors swirling about whether he could soon be dealt to another team, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes.

The Pistons have engaged in trade discussions on a deal centered around Drummond with several teams, including the Hawks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Saturday. However, no deal is imminent as of now.

“I’m not a quitter, for one,” Drummond said, as relayed by Friedell. “I was never brought up to be a quitter. If I start somewhere, I try to finish there, try to complete the mission, which is to win a championship here [in Detroit]. It will never be me that wants to go anywhere … I love being here. I would love to play here the rest of my career.”

There’s an increasing belief inside and outside the Pistons’ organization that Drummond will be dealt before the trade deadline, according to Wojnarowski. The team is planning for Drummond to decline his $29MM player option for the 2020/21 season and become a free agent on July 1.

“I’ve been dealing with this since the year I signed my contract so the trade rumors will always come around, so this is another year for me,” Drummond said. “It’s always that time of year around January where trade talks come. Nothing’s happened. Obviously, the talks have started, so these questions will start to come. I’ve been looking forward to them coming, but for me, I’m just going to continue to play the game I play, play here in Detroit where I love to be, and whatever happens, happens.”

The Pistons have been derailed by injuries this season, currently owning the fifth-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 13-23.

Drummond, 26, was drafted No. 9 overall in 2012 and is in his eighth campaign with the team. He’s averaged 17.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 34 games so far this year.

Community Shootaround: Andre Drummond

January 3rd, 2020 at 6:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons center Andre Drummond could be the biggest name on the free agent market this summer. Right now, he’s the biggest name on the trading block.

The Hawks are reportedly in discussions to acquire the league’s leading rebounder. A separate report also named the Celtics, Mavericks and Raptors as potential suitors for Drummond’s services.

The trade talk makes sense from Detroit’s perspective. In the midst of a disappointing, injury-riddled season, the Pistons need to seriously consider hitting the reset button. Owner Tom Gores told reporters on Thursday that the front office needed to reassess its approach to make the franchise a serious contender.

The Hawks possess two things that a rebuilding club covets — expiring contracts and draft picks. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated that the lottery-protected pick the Nets owe the Hawks is one of the items on the table. Atlanta also has three large expiring contracts — Chandler Parsons, Allen Crabbe and Evan Turner — and could use one of those to facilitate a trade.

Drummond holds a $28.75MM option on the final year of his contract and is expected to opt out this summer, which waters down his trade value.

The Hawks could take a look at Drummond and see how he fits around their young core of Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter. The Young-Drummond pick-and-roll combo could be quite formidable. If both parties like what they see, Drummond could re-sign with the club in July.

Drummond could also be the piece that turns a marginal contender into a serious one and a serious contender into a champion. He would be a major upgrade in the middle for Boston but it’s unknown what GM Danny Ainge would give up to rent Drummond. The Celtics have two extra first-rounders with some protections from Memphis and Milwaukee. The Pistons would likely want the Grizzlies pick as the centerpiece of a deal with the Celtics.

Drummond could be an interesting fit with Dallas next to Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks have Courtney Lee‘s expiring $12.76MM contract to dangle but don’t have any extra first-round picks to toss in.

The Raptors could trade either of their two large expiring contracts — Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka — if they view Drummond as an upgrade.

That brings us to our question of the day: If the Pistons deal Andre Drummond, which team would be the best fit for him? And will he wind up with the Hawks or a playoff contender?

Please weigh in on this topic in our comments section. We look forward to your input.