The Detroit Pistons are a team that many people will keep an eye on in the coming weeks. They had some tepid expectations about making a run at a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, but an injury to Cade Cunningham has derailed those hopes. Detroit is currently 8-22, already five games out of a play-in spot.
With the losses continuing to pile up, the Pistons are a team that could be very active ahead of the trade deadline, flipping some veterans for more future assets. One player that has been mentioned in plenty of rumors is Bojan Bogdanovic.
The Pistons were the surprise winners of the Bogdanovic sweepstakes ahead of the regular season, acquiring him from the Utah Jazz in exchange for Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee. An extension was quickly agreed to, which makes him an even more attractive trade piece as he is locked into an affordable deal.
He has done nothing to limit his market as Bogdanovic is leading the team with 20.4 points per game on an excellent .510/.436/.879 shooting split. Teams are going to continue calling about his availability, and another veteran to keep an eye on in addition to him is Nerlens Noel.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Nerlens Noel, Detroit Pistons & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Noel has played in only six games this season and it has been reported that Noel isn’t expected to finish the season in Detroit. He was acquired in the offseason, along with Alec Burks, from the New York Knicks in a salary dump so that New York had the space to sign Jalen Brunson in free agency.
One team to check in on Noel is one of his former teams, the Dallas Mavericks. Noel played 1.5 seasons with the Mavericks from 2017-2019 and could have another stint with the franchise coming soon according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
“Also on the trade front, the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons touched base recently on trade talks in which Nerlens Noel’s name came up. Noel, the former Knick, has drawn interest from several contending teams who have struggled with rim protection. Noel was a key force for New York’s defense in 2021 when the club made a surprise run to the playoffs.”
Dallas spent a large portion of their taxpayer mid-level exception this summer on JaVale McGee, and that signing has proven to be a disaster. As if giving him a three-year deal wasn’t bad enough, the Mavericks also promised him a starting spot, which took nine games to rescind permanently.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Nerlens Noel, Detroit Pistons & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Noel would be a nice boost defensively for the Mavericks as when he is healthy, he is excellent on that end of the court. In the season that Begley referenced with the Knicks, Noel averaged 2.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game despite averaging only 24.2 minutes per game. He doesn’t offer much offensively, but his defensive impact is well worth the price.
