There is no question about it, the Detroit Pistons need a starting point guard to help lead the team into the future and I believe they will select one with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
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But is it possible that Pistons GM Troy Weaver elects to bring in a perennial All-Star who he just happens to be very familiar with?
According to a piece by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Pistons are a possible trade destination for All-Star point guard, Russell Westbrook of the Houston Rockets.
From ESPN:
New GM Troy Weaver is familiar with Westbrook from their time together in Oklahoma City, and Westbrook’s former agent Arn Tellem is also in the Pistons’ front office as vice chairman.
The Pistons have $30 million in cap space and the $12.2 million expiring contract of Tony Snell to make the money work. The alternative to the cap space option would be putting Blake Griffin and his $36.8 million salary in a Westbrook trade (if Houston were amenable).
Ok, here is the thing.
Russell Westbrook is still a damn good player but he is also on the wrong side of the hill when it comes to NBA superstars. That, coupled with the fact that the Pistons would have to pay him a crazy amount of money over the next three seasons, is enough for me to pass on any trade to bring Westbrook to Detroit.
Rather than trading for Westbrook, the Pistons are better off building through the NBA Draft and then strategically adding key free-agent pieces along the way.