Detroit Pistons begin their rebuild
In this trade idea, the Detroit Pistons move on from Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson. In return for, Josh Richardson, Harrison Barnes, Dwight Howard, and Ian Mahinmi, as well as several draft picks (2019, 2020, 2023).
The Pistons make this move simply to get out of hefty contracts for the next 3-4 years, and getting back Mahinmi and Barnes ($50 million next season, then free agents in summer of 2020) doesn’t necessarily help. However, grabbing Richardson, as a potential All-Star at 27-years-old in 2021 (making $10-11 million until 2022), with enough cap space for two max contract players in 2021, could be very enticing for an organization that hasn’t seen playoff success in over a decade.
Not to mention, the two protected firsts from Miami and Washington over the next two summers would add young talent to a roster that is hoping to utilize their young guys, as they haven’t over the past few years (Stanley Johnson, Luke Kennard, Glenn Robinson, Khyrie Thomas, Bruce Brown, even Reggie Bullock).
If these Pistons do intend to rebuild, they also have a former 2018 Head Coach of the Year, Dwane Casey, to lead the charge. In conclusion, I don’t see the Pistons keeping Griffin and Drummond and having playoff success over the next few seasons, so I would immediately do this.