For the second year in a row, the Pistons could acquire a point guard with an expiring contract at the trade deadline. From A. Sherrod Blakely of Boston's CSSNE.com:
If a minor deal is out there to be made, do not be surprised if Jerryd Bayless and his $3.1 million expiring contract are moved for a player like Detroit's Will Bynum who makes about $2.79 million less than Bayless but has one year remaining on his current deal with the Pistons.
Ainge loves what Bayless can do, but the idea of getting further under the luxury tax is even more appealing than keeping him. You can't really fault Ainge for feeling that way when you consider the Celtics are most likely going to be among the bottom-10 teams in the league this year and yet the teams' payroll will stack among the league's top-10.
Be sure to digest this with your daily recommended dose of salt, but I've always had a great deal of respect for Blakely, who spent nine years covering the Pistons with MLive.com before taking his current gig. Even if this proposed deal is a product of his imagination, he certainly understands the mindset of both Detroit and Boston's front offices better than most.
Ultimately this move would be about salaries, not stats, but let's see how the two compare this season (scroll to the see their complete stat lines)
Per game:
Per 36:
Advanced:
As you can see, the two players are quite comparable, although I should point out one statistical anomaly: despite shooting .297 from 3-point range this year, Bayless has put a .342 mark for his career. So even though he'd most likely be a short-term rental, he'd potentially help with Detroit's infamous perimeter shooting woes while offering more flexibility in terms of cap space this summer. What's not to like?
Now your thoughts.