Detroit Bad Boys - NBA Trade Deadline: Roundup of rumors, deals and moreA community of Detroit Pistons fans since 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48119/detroitbadboys-fave.png2014-02-21T08:00:06-05:00http://www.detroitbadboys.com/rss/stream/51938292014-02-21T08:00:06-05:002014-02-21T08:00:06-05:0010 reasons Pistons fans should be excited
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<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
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<p>In many ways no news is good news. </p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-trade-deadline" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA trade deadline</a> has come and gone and as usual the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a> didn't make a move. No shake-up of this disappointing team. No deal to balance the pieces on this mismatched roster. No nothing. But that doesn't mean it was a bad NBA trade deadline for the Pistons. In fact, there were many positive developments Thursday that should make fans happy. Now, most of these positives are going to look an awful lot like negatives but bear with me. It's all about the future because the present is ... ugh. Lets run them down.</p>
<h5>1. No <span>Greg Monroe</span> trade</h5>
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<p>While some fans wanted Monroe traded the solid majority are still behind Moose and all his low-post scoring and quality rebounding. Monroe would have definitely been the easiest piece to move, especially if the team was intent on bringing in a small forward. But there was no Monroe trade. Not for <span>Harrison Barnes</span>, <span>Jeff Green</span>, <span>Evan Turner</span> or anyone else. Instead the team decided it would be more prudent to hold onto its 23-year-old, offensively skilled big man into the offseason and into restricted free agency. That doesn't necessarily mean they will definitely keep him. He could get traded on draft night for a lottery pick ala <span>Jrue Holiday</span> or part of a sign-and-trade. But I wager either of those scenarios would net the Pistons a better piece than any of the above small forwards. A day without a Monroe trade is a good day.</p>
<p> </p>
<h5>2. The team tried to change <span>Josh Smith</span>
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<p>It's painfully obvious that the big-three experiment of <span>Andre Drummond</span>, Monroe and Smith is not working. The fact that of those three players the one they decided to move was Smith was the correct decision. Smith, of course, wouldn't have brought much back in return, but he should be viewed as the odd man out of the three. He's 28 and when Andre Drummond finally puts it all together he'll be in his 30s. Besides, if the past year has taught us anything it's that every contract is tradable. In the past year <span>Rudy Gay</span> has been traded TWICE as an attractive asset. There are teams where Smith makes sense, Detroit just isn't one of them. It's unsurprising that the team was unable to find a taker, but Smith is at the absolute nadir of his value. There's a better chance the team could move him in the offseason, and that decision might be made by new front office leadership, which is heartening. Speaking of which ...</p>
<h5>3. Lack of activity another sign that there will be a new GM after this season</h5>
<p>Joe Dumars has done great things for the Pistons organization as both a player and an executive, but his track record lately is simply not good enough to keep his position. He is a lame duck and a complete lack of activity on trade deadline day does nothing but reinforce this notion. This team needs a new key decision-maker and it looks more and more likely that change is coming.</p>
<h5>4. No trade means team even more likely to keep its draft pick</h5>
<p>Sad as it is to admit, a starting lineup of Josh Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond is probably more conducive to losing than any lineup featuring two of those players. The Pistons have played like a bottom-five NBA team since the beginning of the year and while the jury is still out on interim coach <span>John Loyer</span> not a whole lot has changed. Detroit looked like a bad team yesterday and they look like a bad team today. The Pistons currently sport the 10th-worst record in the NBA and to keep their draft pick they need to be in the top eight when the dust settles. Speaking of which ...</p>
<h5>5. The Cleveland Cavaliers got better</h5>
<p>While Detroit maintained the status quo, the Cavs were much more active. Cleveland is obviously a team still keeping its eye on a playoff berth and by trading for <span>Spencer Hawes</span>, the Cavs made a playoff seed more likely. Currently, the Cavs are one-half game behind the Pistons and this move means they are likely to vault in front of Detroit. That would move the Pistons from the 10th spot to the ninth spot.</p>
<h5>6. Other teams got better, too</h5>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kings</a> (fourth worst record) traded for Rudy Gay, who should return eventually from his Achilles injury. And the trade of <span>Marcus Thornton</span> to the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nets</a> for <span>Jason Terry</span> and <span>Reggie Evans</span> might make sense for both teams -- it certainly won't make either appreciably worse. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Nuggets</a> should be able to stop their hemorrhaging of games by trading for an actual point guard -- <span>Aaron Brooks</span> -- and were able to flip the banished <span>Andre Miller</span> into Jan Vesely. The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Bobcats</a> were able to fortify their position by getting a steady reserve point guard and a legitimate 3-point threat in <span>Luke Ridnour</span> and <span>Gary Neal</span>, respectively.</p>
<h5>7. The Pistons have been horrible while playing an easy schedule</h5>
<p>The Detroit Pistons are 10 games under .500. In fact, they are nearly as close to having the sixth worst record in the NBA than they are to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. And they did all of this while playing a remarkably easy schedule. And if you're rooting for the Pistons to lose then you'll be encouraged to know that things are going to get a whole lot tougher. Speaking of which ...</p>
<h5>8. The schedule looks good ... if you want Detroit to lose</h5>
<p>Of the nine teams below Detroit in the standings, eight have easier schedules than Detroit going forward. Detroit, meanwhile has 16 of its last 25 games on the road and 11 games against the West with seven of those on the road. There is a particularly tough stretch coming up. Look at the Pistons next 14 games -- Atlanta, Dallas, Golden State, at San Antonio, at Houston, New York, Chicago, Minnesota, at Boston, Sacramento, at Toronto, Indiana, at Denver, at Phoenix, at Los Angeles, at Utah. By the time the team gets out of that vortex the team might have lost 10 to 12 of those games. They'd be in a position where the team could be checked out, and the team might even be in the mood to finally play the young guys like <span>Peyton Siva</span>, Tony Mitchell and <span>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</span>.</p>
<h5>9. John Loyer looks an awful lot like <span>Maurice Cheeks</span>
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<p>Despite what Tom Gores might have said about Cheeks being fired because he wasn't maximizing the talents on this team, there has been little to no indication that Loyer is any sort of improvement. The rotation remains short, Josh Smith and <span>Brandon Jennings</span> continue to lead the team in shot attempts, the defense remains a mess. It's early and it is hard to make changes on the fly, but then again ... it's hard to make changes on the fly. This team is what it is. Pretty damn bad.</p>
<h5>10. The team still has Andre Drummond</h5>
<p>I saw a lot of despair on Twitter and in comments because this team is stuck with bad players on bad contracts. That's true. But it also has the one thing every team dreams of having -- a budding superstar. All those fans complaining because the Pistons never truly "tanked" need to understand why teams tank in the first place. It's to get a player like Andre Drummond. Detroit already has him, it just happened to nab him with the ninth pick in the draft. And with a superstar all you need is the right team in place to put pieces around him. It's not easy, of course (just ask Cleveland or Minnesota about that one), but the most important step is complete. Now every move needs to be about finding a GM, a head coach and an executive staff that can build a championship team around Drummond. Every move will be made with that in mind. Let's get to work.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/21/5431878/nba-trade-deadline-10-reasons-pistons-fans-should-be-excitedSean Corp2014-02-20T12:24:02-05:002014-02-20T12:24:02-05:00Rumor: Pistons officially shopping Josh Smith
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<figcaption>No! Two thumbs down, Mr. Smith. Two. Thumbs. Down. | Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????</p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/436548101739126784">Zach Lowe of ESPN's Grantland</a> is confirming that the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a> are indeed shopping <span>Josh Smith</span>, but in a surprising/depressing/inevitable/senseless move are asking teams for more than just expiring contracts.</p>
<p>Perhaps the team can fire Joe Dumars at lunchtime and cobble something together by today's 3 p.m. deadline? I joke but only so I don't cry.</p>
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<p>Honestly, I can see Josh Smith having value to several NBA teams as a power forward who isn't asked to bear much of the scoring load (Charlotte, Houston, Cleveland, etc.), but at this point the best path forward for the Detroit Pistons is anything that gets them a do-over of its disastrous decision to sign Smith to play small forward alongside young bigs <span>Greg Monroe</span> and <span>Andre Drummond</span>.</p>
<p>Heck, even if the team is intent on flipping Monroe after the season in a sign-and-trade or even on <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA draft</a> day, it behooves them to swap Smith to open up money to address holes on its perimeter offense and defense going forward.</p>
<p>Instead, it seems the team is valuing what Smith might be worth in a good scenario as opposed to the actual scenario of the value he provides the Pistons going forward for the next three seasons.</p>
<p>I would do Deng for Smith in a heartbeat. I would do <span>Ben Gordon</span> for Smith in a heartbeat. I would do <span>Emeka Okafor</span> for Smith in a heartbeat. Yet, he is likely to stay in Detroit and if it is because the Pistons were demanding TOO MUCH, it will be an unfortunate day for the franchise and a sad capper to Dumars' tenure as GM of the franchise.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/20/5430304/nba-trade-rumors-pistons-shopping-smith-demanding-more-than-expiringsSean Corp2014-02-20T11:48:06-05:002014-02-20T11:48:06-05:00Report: Pistons get 'no traction' in Deng offer
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<figcaption>Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>"No traction" between two parties, according to report</p> <p>While it would be wonderful to receive a "get out of jail free" card and deal Josh Smith for an expiring deal it doesn't seem like the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested.</p>
<p>The Cavs, having already traded some choice high second-round picks for Spencer Hawes, have dangled Deng around the league because they are afraid they won't be able to get him to re-sign in the offseason. It had been reported that Detroit had contacted the Cavaliers with interest, but according to <a href="https://twitter.com/KBergCBS/status/436533527254142976">Ken Berger of CBS Sports</a> there was "no traction" with Detroit on getting a deal done.</p>
<p>There is no indication of what had been offered, but it's logical to assume that Detroit offered power forward Josh Smith, who's deal matches almost perfectly with Deng's. Because Deng was recently acquired, CBA rules dictate that he can only be traded again in a one-for-one player deal. Teams can get around this by structuring a second deal (like perhaps agreeing to take on the multi-year deal of Jarrett Jack in exchange for the expiring contract of Rodney Stuckey and affordable Kyle Singler deal).</p>
<p>Still, looks like the dream is dead and it is time to move on. In what might be his last deadline as GM of the Detroit Pistons it looks like Dumars is going to do what he usually does, which is stand pat and hope for the best.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/20/5430158/nba-trade-rumors-pistons-cant-interest-cavs-in-deng-dealSean Corp2014-02-20T10:14:07-05:002014-02-20T10:14:07-05:00Cavs land Spencer Hawes for two 2nd-round picks
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<figcaption>Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cleveland Cavaliers must still have their sights set on a playoff berth. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> and <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia 76ers</a> pulled off the first deal of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-trade-deadline" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Trade Deadline</a> Day, swapping big man and 3-point threat <span>Spencer Hawes</span> for two second-round picks, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/436513848468963328">Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski</a> and confirmed by <a href="https://twitter.com/KBergCBS/status/436515268425420800">CBS Sports' Ken Berger</a> (the two best in the biz).</p>
<p>There is a chance that one of those second-rounders is one originally belonging to Orlando, meaning the Sixers get at least one and maybe two high second-round picks in the upcoming draft. Second-round picks are sometimes viewed as even more valuable as low first-rounders because teams have more flexibility as far as guaranteed money and years.</p>
<p>With the move the Cavaliers have obviously shown themselves as a team still very much thinking playoffs this year as Hawes is an unrestricted free agent after the season. This move is all about winning now. Another thought that popped into my head upon hearing the news? You know who would look great next to Spencer Hawes? <span>Josh Smith</span>! C'mon, Cleveland -- let's do a simple <span>Luol Deng</span> for Josh Smith swap. Hell, the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pistons</a> could then trade Deng to a real contender in exchange for a low first-round pick. Pick up the phone(s), Dumars!</p>
<p><b>UPDATE:</b> Woj <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--76ers-trade-big-man-to-cavs-150452921-nba.html" style="background-color: #ffffff;">has an actual story</a> (click over and give those well-deserved page views to Yahoo and not just his Twitter account!) that indicates more will be headed to Cleveland in addition to the two picks. It might be just salary to make the deal work or it might be something of actual value.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/20/5429722/nba-trade-deadline-cavaliers-spencer-hawes-sixers-two-second-round-picksSean Corp2014-02-20T09:36:10-05:002014-02-20T09:36:10-05:00NBA Trade Deadline Open Thread
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<figcaption>Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Stop here to sound off on all the latest developments of deals done, deals rumored and deals abandoned on NBA Trade Deadline day. Pistons will probably be quiet, but that doesn't mean the other teams in the NBA will be. </p> <p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-trade-deadline" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Trade Deadline</a> strikes in a little over five hours as of this writing. The <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a> have fired their head coach and their GM looks to be a lame duck so things are remarkably quiet. In some ways, that's good (no <span>Greg Monroe</span> trade), but in some ways it's also bad (no trades of any kind).</p>
<p>But just because the Pistons are likely to be quiet today doesn't mean the other teams in the NBA aren't going to be making a lot of noise. Rumor has it that the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brooklyn Nets</a> (No. 6 in East) are <a href="http://www.netsdaily.com/2014/2/20/5429358/shelburne-nets-pelicans-in-lead-for-jordan-hill">looking to trade for</a> the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Lakers</a> very available forward <span>Jordan Hill</span>, while also <a href="http://www.netsdaily.com/2014/2/19/5426268/nba-trade-2014-rumors-nets-kings-marcus-thornton">having secured a trade</a> for <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kings</a> moderately used, handsomely paid <span>Marcus Thornton</span>.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> (No. 7 in the East) are <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/19/5427716/nba-trade-rumors-jordan-hill-chris-kamen-atlanta-hawks">also reportedly</a> in the mix for Hill as well as Los Angeles big man <span>Chris Kaman</span> who will almost certainly be dealt before the trade deadline.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Charlotte Bobcats</a> (No. 8 in East), fresh off spanking the Pistons two consecutive games, are also interested in Hill (who isn't?) while also <a href="http://www.rufusonfire.com/2014/2/19/5424944/charlotte-bobcats-2014-trade-deadline-rumors">looking to upgrade wing scoring</a> in the form of <span>Evan Turner</span>, <span>Gary Neal</span>, <span>Arron Afflalo</span> or maybe <span>Anthony Morrow</span>.</p>
<p>The biggest fish on the market is obviously <a href="https://www.canishoopus.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> big man <span>Kevin Love</span> (man, would he look perfect next to <span>Andre Drummond</span> or what?) but I find it hard to believe that he'll be moved by the end of the day.</p>
<p>But perhaps even more interested to Pistons fans while they lick their wounds at what looks like another lost season is what the teams below them in the standings are poised to do -- specifically Cleveland, New York and Boston in the East, and Utah, and Sacramento in the West. Each team looks primed to jump a foundering Pistons team in the standings (the Kings are 3.5 games below Detroit currently). Utah and Boston might sell off assets (whither <span>Rajon Rondo</span>?) in order to tank while the Cavs, <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Knicks</a> and Kings look poised to try and improve their clubs.</p>
<p>Whatever happens talk about here and Detroit Bad Boys will keep you posted if anything big develops, especially concerning the Pistons.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/20/5429542/nba-trade-rumors-greg-monroe-josh-smith-kevin-love-jordan-hill-evan-turnerSean Corp