Troy Weaver did it again! The Pistons were quite lucky to have Jaden Ivey fall to five. This is the player that I wanted the Pistons to select. He is the perfect backcourt mate for Cade Cunningham. This pairing will be fun and beneficial to both players.
The day before the draft, the Pistons traded Jerami Grant for a future first-round pick, a few future second-round picks, and a second-round swap. Before tonight, I was okay with the trade. After tonight, I'm ecstatic about it.
The second-round swap turned into Gabriele Procida. He appears to be a draft and stash player. I don't mind the draft and stash because, eventually, one is going to work out. His combination of size and shooting could be everything the Pistons had hoped Deividas Sirvydis would become.
More importantly, the Pistons swapped that first-round pick from Milwaukee via Portland for the 13th pick, Jalen Duren, and Kemba Walker. Jalen Duren fits this roster perfectly. His size, defense, and pick-and-roll abilities will fit well with Cunningham and company. Kemba Walker would be an excellent 6th man for the Pistons; however, it appears that he will be bought out of his contract.
Troy Weaver has done some amazing work this off-season. He has created an incredibly talented young core, but I don't think he's done yet. I think we could still see some trades in the coming days, but the fans should be excited for free agency with the cap space Weaver has created.
Deandre Ayton is at the top of the wishlist for the Pistons. I think it would be awesome to get an established young player like Ayton to complement this young core. He wouldn't be antithetical to the Pistons' timeline. I do think, however, that this draft most likely means that Marvin Bagley III won't be back next season. I really enjoyed watching him play, but with Duren and Stewart, I don't see the Pistons signing two rotation bigs.
I think that these moves also indicate that Kelly Olynyk could be on the move as well. I'm not sure how, but Troy Weaver usually makes the magic happen. I think it seems likely that the Pistons also sign a scoring wing to come off the bench. A Kemba Walker type at an affordable rate would be ideal. I'm not interested in Jalen Brunson becoming a Piston. I don't think the Pistons should use the cap space on an undersized scorer unless they can get an advantageous deal.
The draft with Troy Weaver in the front office might be the Detroit sports show of the year.
For more material like this, click here to see all previous sports-related posts. Also, consider subscribing or following us on Facebook or Instagram so you never miss an update.
Comments