Fansided

Report: Detroit Pistons exploring trade for New York Knicks’ Pablo Prigioni

By Phil Watson

Jan 2, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Pablo Prigioni (9) drives the ball during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Detroit Pistons won 97-81. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Pablo Prigioni (9) drives the ball during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Detroit Pistons won 97-81. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Brandon Jennings likely lost for the season to a torn Achilles’ tendon, the Detroit Pistons are reportedly exploring the trade market at point guard.

Brandon Jennings had been playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career over the last month for the Detroit Pistons.

That came to an abrupt halt Saturday night when Jennings sustained an injury to his lower left leg that the Pistons suspect is a torn Achilles’ tendon, according to Yahoo Sports.

More from Detroit Pistons

In 15 games since Dec. 28, Jennings had averaged 20.1 points and 6.8 assists per game on .436/.394/.823 shooting.

That pumped his season numbers up to averages of 15.4 points and 6.6 assists a game, and boosted his shooting line to .401/.360/.839.

Jennings went for 24 points and 21 assists—a career-high—in a win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, the NBA’s first 20-point, 20-assist game since Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns in November 2009.

Jennings left Saturday night’s 101-86 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in a wheelchair after he was hurt late in the third quarter.

Now, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Pistons are eyeing potential replacements at point guard, including Pablo Prigioni of the New York Knicks.

"Hearing Pistons among teams to show exploratory interest in Knicks’ Pablo Prigioni and could revisit that in wake of losing Brandon Jennings — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) January 25, 2015"

Prigioni, 37, is in his third NBA season. He signed with the Knicks in July 2012 after a long career in Spain, where the Argentine played for 12 seasons with Fuenlabrada, Lucentum Alicante, Tau Ceramica, Real Madrid and Caja Laboral.

This season, Prigioni is averaging 4.8 points, 2.5 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 18.8 minutes per game for the Knicks, shooting .429/.378/.846.

He has played in 41 games, starting three, for the 8-37 New York squad.

The Pistons are 17-27, but 12-4 since waiving forward Josh Smith after Christmas.

Without Jennings, Detroit is left with veteran D.J. Augustin and rookie Spencer Dinwiddie at point guard.

Augustin is averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game, shooting .384/.283/.826.

Dinwiddle, a second-round pick out of Colorado who missed the last half of last season with an ACL tear, played seven minutes against the Bucks Saturday night, the first time he had gotten off the bench since Dec. 30.

He has played in only nine games, averaging 3.1 points and 2.1 assists in 10.7 minutes per game, shooting .313/.176/1.000.

The Pistons are 1½ games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but have some work to do without Jennings—who was Detroit’s leading scorer.

They get very little turnaround time, visiting the Toronto Raptors at 7 p.m. EST on Sunday.

More from FanSided

Home/Detroit Pistons