Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Detroit Pistons
Since the 2009-10 season, the Detroit Pistons have reached the playoffs just twice, but have not won a single playoff game since 2008… Detroit’s struggles over the years can be directly linked to poor management and the lack of talent on the roster, but things look like they are on the verge of changing for the Pistons.
In the draft, the Pistons were able to get Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart and then in free agency, the Pistons signed both Jerami Grant and Miles Plumlee to long-term deals. With some experienced talent, as well as a group of youth with a lot of potential to grow into great NBA players, the Pistons finally have laid out a formula for success moving forward, but they need to cut ties with some of their aging veterans in order to continue gaining youthful assets.
Derrick Rose was a great player for the Pistons last season coming off the bench, but this season, with the team looking to get Hayes as much experience at point guard as possible, Rose does not have that big of a role. With Hayes going down with a hip injury, this definitely opens up more minutes than originally anticipated for Derrick Rose, but acquiring a younger guard like Kendrick Nunn to fill this role instead of Rose makes more sense in the long-run.
The Pistons need draft picks and young talent, which is exactly what they could get from the Heat for Derrick Rose. Nunn is a score-first type of guard and could easily play in a duel-backcourt with Killian Hayes when he is healthy and while KZ Okpala is a very under-developed player, he has found some success in the G-League.
In 20 games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the NBA G-League last year, Okpala averaged 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and shot 36.8% from the floor. In today’s NBA, you can never have too many good wing players and with time to develop behind some solid and experienced players, the young 6’8” forward could benefit greatly.
With Derrick Rose in the final year of his contract, it makes a lot of sense for the Detroit Pistons to trade him now and the Miami Heatshould do everything they can to bring Rose to South Beach.
