The NBA draft is not an exact science. Go find redrafts from summers past. Rest assured that they won’t mirror the actual draft order. Teams get it right, and teams get it wrong.
The Sacramento Kings got it wrong when they selected Marvin Bagley III. There’s no nice way to say that. Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trae Young and others were all on the board. Bagley III has not produced like a lottery pick. The Kings made a mistake.
That doesn’t mean that Bagley III has no value. In fact, he’s made some progress since landing on the Detroit Pistons. At the same time, this team has a logjam of big men, and they could use a wing or two. Could they send Bagley III to the Portland Trail Blazers for that reason?
The Trade Proposal
Detroit Pistons Receive: G/F Matisse Thybulle
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F/C Marvin Bagley III
Given how imprecise the draft can be, some rebuilding teams like to take several cracks at it. That’s why teams tank for multiple years in a row. They want to make sure they land at least one franchise-caliber player – and ideally, some All-Stars to pair him with.
Think about it. Cade Cunningham could be a bust. We don’t think he will be – we’ve got a lot of faith in him. Still, the Kings had faith in Marvin Bagley III, too. Cunningham could bust. Could Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Ausar Thompson bust? That’s much less likely. The Pistons would be victims of horrible luck if they did.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Marvin Bagley III, Detroit Pistons & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Meanwhile, those aren’t the only three exciting young players on this roster. One of Jalen Duren or James Wiseman should be this team’s starting center of the future. In fact, that’s how we got here. Bagley III is a combo big, but we’re low on his potential as a long-term starting 4. There may be not a place for him in Detroit. Should the Pistons send him to Portland?
Why The Detroit Pistons Do The Deal
Yes. That logjam should be troubling to Detroit. It’s doubtful that any two of Wiseman, Duren and Bagley III can share the floor for long – if at all. Having all three on the floor at once is completely untenable. Eventually, the Pistons will have to make some choices.
They should probably choose a defensive wing. Sure, Ausar Thompson has ample potential in that area. Most good teams have a platoon of such players. Moreover, Thompson is likely to command a sizeable offensive role in time. The Pistons may not want to have him guarding the other team’s best player on a nightly basis if he’s a prominent option on offense on the other end.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Marvin Bagley III, Detroit Pistons & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Thybullle will not be a prominent offensive option. On the other hand, he’s an elite defender. Thybulle can guard 1-4 at least, and he makes plays on the defensive end on a routine basis. At 26, he’s still young enough to be part of a Pistons team that’s likely trying to accelerate it’s timeline anyway. Should the Blazers give him up?
Why The Portland Trail Blazers Do The Deal
We think so. In fact, this deal is all about each team’s timeline. The Pistons should be looking to bring an end to their rebuild. By contrast, the Blazers are expected to start one very shortly.
Assuming, of course, that they trade Damian Lillard. This whole deal operates under that assumption. We’re also assuming that they clear up some cap space in the process. At the moment, they’d be too cap-strapped to take the extra money on Bagley III’s deal. Let’s assume that they trade Lillard – for that matter, let’s assume that they move Jerami Grant, too.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Marvin Bagley III, Detroit Pistons & Portland Trail Blazers Updates
Now, the Blazers are in a position to take a flier on young players. Bagley III feels like a good fit. This team is stacked with exciting young guards, but they’ve got little else. Adding a young big man like Bagley III makes sense – even if he’s looking like a draft night mistake.
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