2020 NBA Draft: Pistons get No. 16 pick, Trevor Ariza from Rockets for future first

Troy Weaver is already proving to be aggressive, trading into the first round of tonight’s draft in a deal with the Houston Rockets that will send No. 16 and veteran forward Trevor Ariza to Detroit in exchange for a future first round pick.

This trade seems like a home run and an early sign that the new Pistons front office is aggressive, smart, and willing to act. Weaver and the Pistons now have additional flexibility to add a young potential rotation piece just outside the lottery or use the pick in a package to aggressively move up or to take advantage of another team’s desire to land a specific player and trade down or out of the first round for more future assets.

The pick is so heavily protected that the deal seems like a no-brainer for a team like the rebuilding Pistons. And there will be an outside chance that Ariza will be able to rehab his value and get shipped toward the deadline to a contender for a future second or a flier on a young player.

Smart. Smart. Smart.

The news comes from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Woj also reports that the Rockets are sending a useless Lakers 2021 second-rounder the Pistons own for $4.6 million. This will give the Pistons a bit more fnancial wiggle room to purchase second round picks if they so choose.

Detroit is known to have scouted several guards and forwards who might be around at No. 16 including Kira Lewis Jr. and Aaron Nesmith.

Alternatively, the Pistons could now package No. 16 and either players to move up or they could package Nos. 7 and 16 to move up aggressively into the top of the first round.

The pick is top-16 protected for the next four seasons, top-10 protected the next two seasons and top-9 protected after that. If it still hasn’t conveyed, it becomes multiple second round picks, per James Edwards of The Athletic.

That essentially means the Pistons could still not sniff the playoffs for four years and not send the pick.

I like it. What do you think? What do you want them to do with this new arrow in their quiver?