The Detroit Pistons were managing with Brandon Jennings as their star point guard until he ruptured his Achilles tendon last year. That caused the Pistons to trade for Reggie Jackson who then inked the biggest deal in team history to the tune of five years and $80 million. Now, Jennings is set to make his return to the court as Jackson is getting used to his new role as a star for the Pistons.
According to ESPN.com, Jennings is set to make his return to court nearly 11 months after injuring his Achilles tendon. Jennings will get his first minutes of playing time as he debuts with the D-League team, Grand Rapids Drive. This is Jennings' first steps to really getting on the court as the Pistons are hopeful he can play a game or two before returning to the team. Head coach Stan Van Gundy told the media is the best move for Jennings to make as the team intends to work him in slowly.
The return of Jennings only heightens the trade talk swirling his name. Marc Berman of the New York Post reported earlier in the week that Jennings would be made available in trades as he enters the final year of his contract and the New York Knicks would be a team that showed interest. According to Berman, the Knicks could offer a deal that includes Jose Calderon along with a big man like Derrick Williams or Kyle O'Quinn. However, Van Gundy made it clear that Jennings was not headed anywhere.
"We haven't one talk with anybody about him," Van Gundy said, via MassLive.com. "I just think that people assume that with Reggie (Jackson) here and the way Brandon played last year, I think people just make that assumption. He's no more or less available than anybody else we have. Until he's back on the court and playing, there's nothing to even talk about. My preference is, that when he's fully healthy, he's able to help us."
Jennings made it clear that right now he is not thinking about trades or contracts. He simply wants to get back to playing basketball. According to the Detroit Free Press, the point guard will be coming off the bench once he is healthy as Jackson remains the starter. That will fuel the trade talk around him considering his expiring contract is an easy pickup. With the Pistons focusing on Andre Drummond's potential blockbuster deal, Jennings might be priced out. Trading him in the next two months means Detroit at least gets something in return. There is no guarantee the franchise makes the move, but it is a possibility. Jennings will not entertain the idea.
"My main thing when I come back is to help this team get to the playoffs, because that's our main goal," Jennings said, via the Free Press. "Everybody feels that's the goal and what everybody feels around the city. If I don't come back the way I was last year, I'm going to be very upset with myself. I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself first right now. I'm not thinking about re-signing here, not re-signing here. I'm just thinking about getting back on the court and taking care of business."