The Detroit Pistons are having a difficult season. That’s an understatement. The Pistons are having one of the worst seasons in NBA history. They may finish with the worst record that a team has ever finished with.
Typically, we’d advise a team in that situation to be patient. Conventional wisdom holds that the Pistons should trade their veterans for assets. The season is lost – why work to save face when they could prepare for the future?
With that said, this situation is anything but typical. The Pistons have been in the lottery for years. Perhaps that’s why they’re rumored to be interested in buying at this year’s deadline – the Pistons are desperate. Could they make a move for Kelly Olynyk of the Utah Jazz?
The Trade Proposal
Utah Jazz receive: G/F Joe Harris, 2028 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – DET)
Detroit Pistons receive: F/C Kelly Olynyk, F Simone Fontecchio
There are benefits to losing games in the NBA. If you’re a fan of the league, you know exactly what we mean. Teams tank to maximize their lottery odds.
That’s fine – but there are limits to the benefits of tanking. Eventually, it can wear on the players in your young core. The Pistons don’t want Cade Cunningham to issue a trade request before they even put a competitive group around him.
Moreover, they don’t want a losing culture to set in. Acquiring talent is the most important step, but the Pistons have been stockpiling young talent for long enough. It’s time for this front office to construct a roster. Does adding Olynyk help?
Why The Detroit Pistons Do The Deal
Why are the Pistons struggling so badly? Above all else, it’s their floor spacing. Cunningham doesn’t have space to operate in half-court sets. Players like Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson have a lot of talents, but shooting isn’t among them.
Olynyk is a floor spacer. He’s also a heady veteran who knows how to play a winning brand of basketball. He’ll give the Pistons an injection of playmaking. Still, the main draw from their point of view is to bring a stretch big man into the fold.
Meanwhile, Olynyk isn’t an outright defensive liability either. Nobody will confuse him with Dikembe Mutombo – Olynyk isn’t an elite rim protector. Still, he can defend in space and be used in hedge and recovery schemes. Should the Jazz part with such a useful player?
Why The Utah Jazz Do The Deal
The Pistons have been struggling for a long time. By contrast, the Jazz have been competitive for the better part of a decade. These last two seasons have been a blip on the radar of Utah Jazz history.
So, why not continue rebuilding? This organization should have some goodwill with their fanbase. Olynyk’s market value is likely a lottery protected first. The Jazz should insist on a distant pick from Detroit – if they get a lottery protected first from them that lands next year, they’re probably not getting anything.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the only asset that the Jazz have. They’ve got an impressive collection go draft capital as it stands. By adding this first, they’re only making that collection stronger. That could help them have an easy season before long.
