Rebuilding an NBA team isn’t easy. There’s no blueprint. Every front office around the league has its own preferences about how to start over.
Soon enough, we’re likely to see how the Portland Trail Blazers operate. Damian Lillard’s trade request has been the news of the summer. Apparently, he wants to go to the Miami Heat. Time will tell how that situation ends up resolving itself.
Perhaps the two sides will find a mutually beneficial deal. Alternatively, the Blazers could send Lillard elsewhere. Either way, they’re likely to start rebuilding. The Blazers could go about acquiring young players soon. How about James Wiseman of the Detroit Pistons?
The Trade Proposal
Detroit Pistons Receive: F Nassir Little, G/F Keon Johnson, 2024 Second-Round Pick (ATL via POR), 2026 Second-Round Pick (MEM via POR)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: C James Wiseman
With that said, the decision to rebuild is seldom made lightly. It’s likely to mean years of hardship for a team and their fans. We’re willing to bet that the Blazers are well aware.
For that matter, rebuilding is harder for some teams than others. Small market teams can be more apprehensive to start from scratch. They can’t as readily afford the inevitable losses in profit. Sometimes, small market teams would rather remain mediocre than suffer short-term pain for long term gain.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: James Wiseman, Detroit Pistons & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Sure. On the other hand, the Blazers have been mediocre for two years – and they’re not even rebuilding. Or, perhaps it’s more accurate to say they’ve been unwittingly rebuilding this roster. Between Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Anfernee Simons, the Blazers already have a strong young core. Should they add Wiseman to it?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
There’s an obvious subtext here. We’re assuming that the Blazers will trade Lillard if they’re making this deal. Otherwise, there’s no sense in taking a flyer on Wiseman.
After all, there are major concerns about him. Wiseman is about to enter his fourth NBA season. He’s a recent second-overall pick, but he hasn’t nearly met expectations yet. On the other hand, Wiseman did start to make some strides after landing on the Pistons last season.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: James Wiseman, Detroit Pistons & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
So, if the Blazers are rebuilding, he’s worth taking a risk on. If he can hit his ceiling, Wiseman should be a perfect pick-and-roll partner for Henderson due to his vertical spacing. He could be this team’s long-term defensive anchor as well. Should the Pistons give up on him?
Why The Detroit Pistons Do The Deal
On the subject of rebuilding, the Pistons are an interesting case. There are a lot of factors to consider when rebuilding an NBA team. The fit of a roster is one of them. Apparently, that’s not an issue for the Pistons.
After all, Jalen Duren was in the midst of a strong rookie year when they acquired James Wiseman. Now, they’ve got two young bigs – and that’s before considering Isaiah Stewart and Marvin Bagley. Somehow, this doesn’t feel sustainable to us.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: James Wiseman, Detroit Pistons & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Meanwhile, the Pistons are light on young 3-and-D wings. They’re landing one here. Little is the centerpiece of this deal. Throw in Johnson and a pair of second-rounders, and this could be the next logical step for the Pistons’ rebuild.
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