Trade season might be heating up in Detroit.
On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Pistons point guard Derrick Rose is receiving interest from both the Clippers and Knicks. Nothing appears to be imminent, but teams are sniffing around about the availability of the former MVP, who is in the final year of his contract.
Advertisement
To figure out what a trade package might look like, The Athletic writers covering the Pistons (James L. Edwards III), Knicks (Mike Vorkunov) and Clippers (Law Murray) discussed possible deals. Each writer acted as the decision-maker for the respective teams they cover. In real life, the teams are led by Troy Weaver (Detroit general manager), Leon Rose (New York president of basketball operations) and Lawrence Frank (Los Angeles president of basketball operations).
The (fictional) Pistons are ready to take the (fictional) pitches!
Pistons (Edwards): You want Derrick Rose, huh? Hit me with your best offers.
Clippers (Murray): Well, in L.A.’s continued effort to add former Pistons, we could go straight up: Lou Williams for Derrick Rose.
Pistons: While adding a connoisseur of lemon-pepper wings intrigues me, this straight-up swap doesn’t really do us any favors. You need Rose to help reach your title aspirations. We’re a bottom-five team with Rose or Williams. Williams won’t re-sign here. We’re looking to build for the future. This offer doesn’t do much for us.
Knicks (Vorkunov): If Lou Williams doesn’t move you, how about Elfrid Payton? You’ll still need a veteran point guard if you trade Rose, and someone who can mentor Killian Hayes. Look at what’s going on with Immanuel Quickley in New York. What do you think of Payton and our 2021 second-round pick from Charlotte (currently No. 41)?
Pistons: We’re getting closer, but this still doesn’t do it for us. We have a veteran point guard on the roster — did you not watch Delon Wright drop 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in a win over the 76ers? We have Wright under contract for another season after this one. Hayes is out for the foreseeable future, but we are high on second-round pick Saben Lee and want him to get minutes this year.
As for the pick, you can do better than No. 41 for a guy scoring 15 points a night. The Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since Phil Jackson played. Rose might help bring relevant basketball back to Manhattan.
Advertisement
Sorry, but no.
Knicks: Ummm, no, missed that Wright performance. Had a thing that night. New episode of “WandaVision.” You understand.
We already traded for Rose once and that didn’t bring back great results, so you’ll understand if there is some hesitation about devoting great resources in a deal. Also, he’s a free agent after this season. So this would be a short-term move. Do you want to take on Frank Ntilikina for the rest of this season so you can get a look at him up close? Perhaps Ntilikina, Iggy Brazdeikis (a Michigan man, no less), and a future second can do the trick?
Pistons: This is a different D-Rose. He’s not in the place he once was. Also, Rose and Tom Thibodeau love each other. A rekindling of that relationship is great for everyone. Maybe Rose re-signs because of it.
Ntilikina intrigues me. The rest doesnt. How about this: Ntilikina and your 2021 first-round pick from Dallas? In addition to Rose, we’ll throw in Svi Mykhailiuk. Deal? I know the Mavericks’ pick is in the top 15 right now, but we both know Dallas will turn it around soon.
Clippers: I’ll tell you what — we already have those four second-round picks from the Luke Kennard three-team trade. We could give you back the latter two (2025 and 2026) along with Williams.
Pistons: While we’d love some of those picks back, let’s see what the Knicks say to our counteroffer first. If we can get a first-round pick, we’ll take it. What else can you offer besides Williams?
Clippers: First-round pick?! Well, see if the Knicks will help you out there.
Knicks: A mid-round pick this season (the Mavericks aren’t doing so well, right now) and Ntilikina is a lot. We are still building for the future and that’s a nice asset. In terms of picks, the most that would be palatable is your second-round pick this year.
Clippers: It’s tough to justify giving up on Williams, or go out of our way to offload him, to take on Rose. Williams is in his 16th season, but he’s been more durable than Rose and a more reliable 3-point shooter. We can’t move Reggie Jackson, either. We could probably aim higher if we’re giving up Williams — even if you’re not taking him on. After all, the last time Tyronn Lue had Rose, the partnership lasted for 16 games.
Advertisement
Pistons: Here’s my final offer to each of you.
To the Knicks: How about we give you Rose, and you give us our 2021 second-round pick back and Ntilikina?
To the Clippers: The young guys on your roster don’t intrigue us, so how about two of the four second-round picks we sent you? The earliest two?
Knicks: Still seems strong. That could be the first pick of the second round, which could net a pretty good player in this draft or be used as an asset to trade back or trade out and help us long term. Again, if you don’t want to take Payton, then Ntilikina and the Hornets pick is on the table.
Pistons: We won’t rule this out, but we’ll circle back closer to the deadline. We’ll keep searching.
Clippers: As good as Rose is, I think we’re in good shape with what we have and not needing to give up any of those Kennard picks. Now, we could revisit this in March after some restrictions get lifted. But we shouldn’t be in a rush to make a move to disrupt things right now.
Pistons: Understandable. You have our number if you change your mind.
(Photo: Bart Young / NBAE via Getty Images)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57kWxrcGxpbHxzfJFqZmlpX2eDcLDEq6mim5tiv7C%2FxGanoqukpLu0ecqnoJyjo2KwrbXPqZyrq12pv6KwxGanq6egpMCiuNJo