Betrayer

Everything I've seen has the Pistons winning the draft and getting an A. What a masterclass in GM work by Weaver over the past few days/weeks. That Grant trade turned out to be: A 2022 lotto pick (#13 - Duren) Move up 10 spots in the 2022 second round 2 future 2nd round picks 20M in cap which they haven't even spent yet (Kemba is getting bought out) Here's Weaver: Givony calls it a "Homerun": Sam Vecenie and his livecast partner "love the fit" with Cade and Ivey. I timestamped this on the DET pick but if you back it up a little you get a little more when they talk about the SAC pick: And just for fun, RIP Hamilton's reaction:

https://youtu.be/sY1x3utsPIw

JEIII saying now that he thinks the Pistons might not go after Ayton after the wild success of the draft. Weaver didn’t think Ivey would fall to them and expected Duren to go higher. May just sign some vets. I’m cool with that. Let this core grow before you blow your cash on long term max deals.

He posted a pic of himself sipping some Lean (codeine). Of course he later said it was pink lemonade.

I’m not interested in Bridges. Sure, Ayton has work ethic issues (according to reports), but Bridges has drug issues.

Duren will definitely take a few years. He’s one of the youngest players in this draft. People like to compare Stewart to Ben Wallace (poor comparison) but Duren might actually be a better comparison to Ben with his length, strength, and athleticism.

I don’t think it rules out Ayton. In fact maybe the opposite. They have to feel like they have their drafted young core now so it’s ok to go spend (or overspend) on a player to put around them. And who knows, maybe Phoenix wanted Stewart as part of the sign and trade. So that could be part of the motivation.

Except that Ivey shot 36% from three last year and according to Vecenie the year before when he shot poorly was the anomaly since he shot well from three in high school also (40 percent in his final three years).

Please please please. If we got Duren and Ivey we won the draft and fixed our athleticism issue.

Get on the phones, Troy!

We would go from draft winners to the laughing stock if we move Ivey after he fell to us for a center.

I’m way too happy right now. This was the #2 player on my board. Does he have bust potential? Sure. They all do. But he also has the highest ceiling in the draft. If he hits, we’ve got our two stars for the core. Thank you SAC.

Wish we had the third pick.

OKC and Houston are happy now.

I didn’t want Banchero before, but seeing that suit I’m even more convinced I don’t want him now.

I really hope those teams trading into #4 are after Murray. Give me Ivey, especially if we're going to blow our money on what I would call "good starters but not All-Stars" (Ayton, Sexton, Brunson) rather than acquiring picks and kicking the money to a better free agent season. We need that second guy next to Cade and Ivey has one of the highest ceilings in this draft. Does he reach it? Who knows. But if you're locking yourself into the 8 seed with Cade and Ayton, you need to take a swing on finding another star now rather committing yourself to the Drummond years of mediocrity again.

I hope it doesn't happen, but I'll admit I'm curious to see how this will work. Without Jerami Grant to give back, Phoenix would have to be willing to take a pile of garbage in return on a sign and trade. No way they let him walk for nothing. They're better off matching the offer and then getting something for him after Dec 15th.

If we grab Hayward and let's say pick 13 from Charlotte, then this immediately becomes a really good move. Grant for: Pick #13 mid-20s 2025 1st round pick 36 instead of 47 in this year's draft Hayward 2026 2nd round pick Is a solid haul.

56M in cap space according to Keith Smith: https://twitter.com/keithsmithnba/status/1539730972622585856?s=21&t=7WKA7Uzvk24D8wVCTMoXqQ

This is my hope. That it was done to clear space to acquire contracts that will get us pick(s) and kick the cap space down the road a bit while our young guys develop.

My first reaction to this trade isn't favorable, but if you told me that no other teams were going to give us anything and it was this or sign Grant to a 4/120M deal, I suppose I'd take this. Very curious to see what is done with this cap space. I really don't want another Charlie V + Ben Gordon offseason where we overpay for a bunch of middling players just because we have the money and it's a weak free agent class. And yes, I'm talking about Ayton (max), Bridges (max), Brunson 25+M), or Sexton (20+M) - none of them are worth those contracts.

Beat writers are saying that Weaver's camp plays this way closer to the vest than previous front offices. I'm not sure how much real info we're getting right now and how much is smokescreen. Makes sense, particularly in this draft with there's a very slim margin between these players and you've got a team ahead of you and a bunch behind you that may want to make moves. You want to keep as much leverage as possible. It is interesting nonetheless that the Sharpe talk has really died down. Pistons will come away with Ivey, Murray, or maybe Mathurin (I think this only happens if they trade down). I don't think we'll see Sharpe unless the Pistons get a second pick, but even then it just feels like this front office would rather let someone else take that chance.

No surprise there. Pistons should have roughly 36M in cap space this year after signing the #5 pick and renouncing everyone with options (Bagley, Jackson, Hami). They could re-sign those guys afterwards, of course. We also have about 11M in dead cap due to Troy's love for acquiring players and then cutting them before they ever get to Detroit. Hopefully we don't do that again this year just to move a guy like Plumlee for a an equally average guy like Olynyk 🙃

I think the pick is either Ivey or Murray, whichever the Kings don't take. This draft starts at #4 with the Kings pick. As for the Kings, if the rumors are true and they really want Murray - which they should since he has a high floor, they just traded away Haliburton to make it the Fox show, and Ivey is rumored to not want to go to the Kings - then they're in a tight spot. The only options they have are to just take Murray at #4 or trade with us, because if Ivey is off the board then Murray isn't falling past us at #5. Kind of puts us in the driver's seat if we're happy with either player. As for Mathurin, he's a great prospect, but in my opinion the Pistons are viewing him in that later range of 7-12 alongside guys like Sharpe, Daniels, and Duren if they can get a second pick for Grant. I don't see him being taken at #5 with Ivey or Murray on the board.

Of course he'll go the Lakers 🤣