The Athletic is broadcasting live coverage of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline.
The NBA trade deadline is just days away, and I have a feeling it's going to be a quiet period for the Pistons, the worst team in the league.
But this league is unpredictable, and this week is even more unpredictable.
If things end up being a little quieter in the Motor City, it's not for a lack of trying or a lack of options. Above all, the Pistons remain focused on retaining their young core while maintaining non-player assets and financial flexibility, league sources said, although the Pistons have potential big and small. Of course, things could change over the next two and a half days.
Despite their 6-43 record, the Pistons are confident in their young players and their future. Adding veteran players around these players will be high on the priority list in the coming months. Since trading Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari in January, Detroit has played better basketball, decisively defeated Oklahoma City, and gone toe-to-toe with some of the other top teams in the league. Both veterans complement Detroit's young frontcourt prospects Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, as well as guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
All signs point to the Pistons eventually swinging to a higher level player. The hoarding of expiring contracts is a big indicator of this.
But it's unclear whether that move will be made by Thursday's deadline. Here's what I'm hearing about Detroit as the NBA enters trade deadline week.
On Saturday afternoon, before news broke that the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine would opt to undergo post-season foot surgery, my gut feeling from talking to people since my last report was that the Bulls either The Pistons would seriously consider a move only if conditions were attached. They could either risk an asset (a designated player or a player like Patrick Williams) to take over LaVine's contract, or they could just accept his expiring contract. And I'm still not sure if the latter situation was enough for Detroit to take on such a big deal. For players with frequent injuries.
The 28-year-old LaVine, who the Pistons have had numerous trade discussions with in recent weeks, has three years left on his contract after this season and will be paid nearly $50 million at age 31. In his final year he will inevitably pick up his player option. LaVine is a good player and will help Detroit on the surface…but how much? He will also be directing the basketball on a rebuilding team that features Cunningham and Ivey, but this… The duo is slowly but surely starting to find a good balance.
Assuming the Bulls didn't meet the asking price for Bojan Bogdanovic and a young player, I don't think Detroit would have acquired LaVine, future surgery or not. If Chicago had been willing or willing to transfer assets to LaVine, I would have seen it go down. Now that news of the surgery has broken, I don't see a world in which the Pistons will play LaVine unless the Bulls commit an unhealthy amount of assets, which probably won't happen.
Another name I mentioned in my report back in December is Tobias Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers. League sources say the Pistons remain interested in the sharp forward, who played in Detroit from 2016 to 2018. I wouldn't be surprised if they move to acquire Harris before the deadline, but my sense is that the Pistons will likely use their cap space to target Harris in the summer. Detroit appears to be wary of parting with any kind of asset on players they could sign this summer. Harris has personal ties to Detroit and has ties to some of the front office and coaching staff. Depending on the price Philadelphia offers Harris, it might make more sense for the Pistons to hold out until this summer.
League sources say rival teams continue to have interest in Pistons guard Monte Morris, albeit on a smaller scale. The Timberwolves are one of the most interesting teams. League sources say Minnesota tried to trade Morris, who was in Washington before Detroit. But the Pistons also value what Morris brings as a veteran guard who can handle the ball and shoot the ball. Morris just returned from an injury that forced him to miss the first 43 games of the season.
Something else worth noting
Veterans Bogdanovic and Alec Burks continue to have strong interest around the league, according to league sources, but Detroit remains willing to pursue both unless an offer featuring a quality pick or solid player emerges. They say they are leaning toward keeping it in place.
(Photo of Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
