The Detroit Pistons Were Busy At The Trade Deadline. Does It Matter?

The Detroit Pistons were awfully busy at the NBA Trade Deadline (which was on February 8th at 3pm eastern time).

If you count the earlier trades they made involving Marvin Bagley, III and Isaiah Livers.  The team has completely flipped its roster.  Seven new players have joined the moribund franchise in the last month.

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This week, the Pistons sent guard Kevin Knox, the rights to European Gabriel Procida, and a 2024 2nd round pick to the Utah Jazz for forward Simone Fontecchio.

They also sent guard Monte Morris to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Shake Milton, Troy Brown, Jr., and a 2030 2nd round pick.

Nothing earth-shattering about those moves...

But, then on deadline day, the Pistons sent forward Bojan Bogdanovic and guard Alec Burks to the New York Knicks for Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, Quentin Grimes, Ryan Arcidiacono, and two future 2nd round picks.

And they also sent a 2028 2nd round pick to Philadelphia for Danuel House, Jr. and a 2024 2nd round pick.

To bring all these guys in, the team had to waive some guys to get down to the NBA-mandated maximum of 15 players on your roster.

They are:  Forward Joe Harris, guard Killian Hayes (a former 1st round pick), the aforementioned Danuel House, and Danilo Gallinari.  All were in the last year of their contracts, but will be paid by the Pistons through this July 1st.

WHAT STICKS OUT

The two things that stick out are that the team FINALLY figured out that Killian Hayes sucks and has no future with the Pistons (and possibly the NBA).  He got waaay to long to prove to everybody that he can't play.

Secondly, all the other moves, especially the Bogdanovic trade, showed that they are trying to get as much salary cap space for this summer to try to go after 1-2 big-name free agents.

Most of the guys the Pistons traded for will either be unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, or have contracts that aren't guaranteed for next season this summer, according to hoopshype.com.  Fournier has a team option for $19 million for next season.  And Grimes has $4.3 million coming to him next season.

And that it's GM Troy Weaver's (pictured above) last chance to turn this franchise around.  Remember, the Pistons haven't won a playoff game since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008.  2008!!!

THERE'S ONLY ONE PROBLEM...

No free agents want to come to Detroit!!!  They know that even though the Pistons have a solid core with Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and Isaiah Stewart, Detroit isn't a free agent destination.  That's despite the massive salary cap space they're expected to have come July.

It will be very difficult for Troy Weaver to convince a name guy to come to the Motor City.  And if they do convince one to sign, they run the risk of it being a acquisition that hurts the franchise.  Anybody remember the Blake Griffin trade??  The Bison Dele signing??

And besides all of that, these are the Detroit Pistons.  Do you even care in the first place???