Why Detroit Pistons Do This Trade
The Detroit Pistons have done well revamping the roster under general manager Troy Weaver. There is only one player, Sekou Doumbouya, remaining on the roster that he did not acquire himself. The 2020 offseason was a good one for Detroit, and they are going to use that to further raise the ceiling of their future.
The Pistons are saying goodbye to a large chunk of what is left from their 2020 offseason in this deal. Mason Plumlee was already traded to the Charlotte Hornets and their other good signing, Jerami Grant, is heading to the Golden State Warriors in this deal. Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart were two of their three first-round picks last year as well.
Saying goodbye to those three won’t be easy, but this is a deal Weaver would be hard-pressed to turn down. Landing players with that kind of upside is the type of risk teams are usually willing to take.
James Wiseman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, has immense upside. He won’t ever be afforded the chance to truly develop with the Warriors given their win-now status, but that wouldn’t be the case in Detroit. He would be used as a centerpiece of the team’s foundation, along with Jonathan Kuminga.
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Kuminga was in the conversation as the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft but wound up going seventh overall to the Warriors. His offensive game needs some refining, but he can make an impact right away on the defensive end of the court.
Kevon Looney, Mychal Mulder and Juan Toscano-Anderson provide veteran depth for Detroit, should they hold onto those players. Already over the limit for guaranteed contracts, they will have to make some more moves.
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While trading away Grant, Bey and Stewart probably lower the Pistons’ chances of winning games this season, their ceiling is much higher for the future with the upside that Wiseman and Kuminga possess.
