As Pistons head coach and team president Stan Van Gundy continues to re-tool the roster for the upcoming season, more moves could be on the horizon.
The latest potential move could be a big one. There is a report that Detroit is in talks with the New Orleans Pelicans about a trade involving Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson.
Pistons & Pelicans discussed a trade of Reggie Jackson for E'Twaun Moore, Alexis Ajinca & possibly Quincy Pondexter. https://t.co/Rfj4uOl9Bf
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 12, 2017
Basketball Insiders writer Michael Scotto is reporting that, while nothing appears to be imminent, Jackson could be shipped out to New Orleans. In return, Detroit would acquire shooting guard E’Twaun Moore and big man Alexis Ajinca.
Jackson is coming off a down year, albeit largely due to injury. He missed 30 games last season and correlated to noticeable dips in production across the board in shooting, assists, rebounds and field goal percentage.
The 27-year-old point guard is also locked in to make some big bucks for the foreseeable future. Jackson is owed $16M this season and just over $51M total through the 2019-20 season.
Moore, 28, is coming off perhaps his best season if his career thus far. Last year for the Pelicans, he averaged just under 10 PPG in 73 games played (starting 22) and seeing over 24 minutes of game-time action. The former second-round pick out of Purdue in 2011 has played for four different teams through his first six pro seasons.
Ajinca, 29, played in 39 games last year for New Orleans, averaging 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest in 15.0 minutes of action per game. The 7-foot-2 Frenchman has spent each of the last four seasons down in the Big Easy. Since being drafted No. 20 overall back in 2008 by the then Charlotte Bobcats, Ajinca has played in close to 300 career games, most of which coming with the Pelicans.
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Should a trade become completed, it would provide Van Gundy and the Pistons some immediate and long-term cap relief, as well as some added depth across the board.
Moore is in the second year of a four-year/$34M contract he signed with New Orleans last offseason and is set to make roughly $8.5M this year. Ajinca meanwhile is in the third year of a four-year pact with New Orleans, a contract that will net him $20.2M in total earnings. He’s owed just under $5M entering this season.
Detroit has already made a slew of moves this offseason. Here is what they have done thus far:
- Draft Duke G Luke Kennard (No. 12 overall)
- Traded Darren Hilliard to HOU (later traded to LAC)
- Signed PG Langston Galloway (3-year/$21M)
- Signed C Eric Moreland
- Acquired G Avery Bradley from BOS for SF Marcus Morris
- Renounce rights to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (later signed with LAL)
- Signed PF Anthony Tolliver
As they say in the entertainment business, stay tuned.
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