The Detroit Pistons have a new leader and Stan Van Gundy may look at trade deals this offseason with Brandon Jennings or Josh Smith, as Andre Drummond is firmly in place as the centerpiece of the team and after making some moves in free agency with DJ Augustin and Caron Butler, SVG could be ready to make trades involving some of his stars to gain more flexibility moving forward.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Pistons discussed a Josh Smith trade with the Sacramento Kings this offseason, but that did not go anywhere and now it looks like that deal is totally off. The Kings have brought back Rudy Gay and now the Pistons could still look at trading Smith to keep Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. Marc Stein from ESPN.com writes that with the addition of Augustin, the Pistons have five players that can play point guard on the roster and that could mean a potential trade of Jennings if Van Gundy finds a deal worth making.
Stein writes that the Pistons have the chance to make some smart moves this offseason that can set them up for next year and that has continued with the signings of Augustin and Butler. Butler comes in on a cheap deal at two years, $9 million and that gives Van Gundy more room to work with, while Augustin is also in on a cheaper deal at two years, $6 million and that could open the door for a Monroe deal down the line, as he is a restricted free agent.
The team has Brandon Jennings, Augustin, Will Bynum and Peyton Siva on the roster and that means something will have to go and if it isn't Jennings, it could be Siva. Jennings has been solid since coming over to the Pistons in a sign and trade, but he could be the first to go since his contract may be easier to trade than Smith. Van Gundy knows a move is coming, as Drummond is the centerpiece and Smith is making a ton of money and that could make him tough to deal.
The Pistons have started making a number of moves and Stan Van Gundy is putting his fingerprints on this roster as he takes over as head coach and president of basketball operations. SVG is looking to shape up this team after the way they played last season and he has already added Jodie Meeks, who is now joined by DJ Augustin and Caron Butler on the roster. Van Gundy said the team was looking to sign a number of solid players in free agency this season rather than hit a "home run" and that is what they appear to be doing.
Meeks signed a three year deal worth just under $20 million and while that is a lot for a team looking to rebuild for a non-star player, it fills a great need. Meeks is a fantastic three point shooter and the Pistons were one of the worst teams from long range last season, finishing near the bottom of the league in percentage. Meeks hit 40 percent from the three point line and he ended up with some career best numbers at 15.7 points with 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game and now he should continue to get steady playing time.
