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Detroit Pistons go big on deadline, add Tayshaun Prince after Reggie Jackson

By Cameron La Fontaine

Jan 28, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Celtics forward Tayshaun Prince (12) dribbles in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Boston Celtics 110-98. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Celtics forward Tayshaun Prince (12) dribbles in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Boston Celtics 110-98. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Detroit Pistons had one of the busier days on one of the wildest trade deadlines in NBA history by adding Reggie Jackson and former forward Tayshaun Prince.

The Detroit Pistons landed one of the largest deals on the trade deadline by adding eccentric, underplayed 24-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder guard Reggie Jackson in a three-team deal that involved the Utah Jazz. Detroit gave up forward Kyle Singler as well as backup point guard D.J. Augustin (who has been moved to starter since Brandon Jennings tore his ACL).

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To add to the madness, Detroit made one more move before the buzzer, bringing back veteran forward Tayshaun Prince, who was on the 2004 Detroit championship squad. In return, Detroit gave up players deep on the bench in Luigi Datome and Jonas Jerebko to the Boston Celtics.

You can make the point that 34-year-old, past his prime Prince is a non-sense addition for Detroit, but there’s no doubt the veteran will be good for the locker room as well as provide great minutes for a Detroit team that already struggles at the small forward position. In return, Detroit gave up non-essential, expiring players.

Here’s the moment that Tayshaun Prince is most known for in Detroit. His block on Reggie Miller in the fourth quarter of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2004 that turned the series around and helped lead Detroit to a world championship.

As a strong follower of Detroit, the moves put on by Stan Van Gundy are exciting and some of the best Detroit has seen since all the years Joe Dumars was controlling transactions.

The Detroit Pistons have had one of the weirder NBA seasons thus far. A team that fell so hard, so early in the season to a 3-19 record, only to release the “best” and highest payed player on their team, John Smith, and go on a huge win streak, beating teams like the Spurs, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Raptors and making themselves look like a threat to everyone. But, Detroit lost leading point guard Brandon Jennings with an ACL tear last month, leaving the Pistons struggling to a 4-7 record in their last 11 games.

However, the tough headed Detroit team is still just two games out of the Eastern Conference playoffs behind the Miami Heat. Reggie Jackson has been used to playing behind superstars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on the Thunder, but now we have a chance to see him blossom in a leadership role. He’s a dual threat guard who shows confidence on the floor and that can be a leader and take over a game, exactly what Detroit needs in order to make a solid playoff push.

While Detroit lost a valuable guard in D.J. Augustin who stepped up beautifully in Jennings’ absence, Detroit looks to have made the right move bringing in the stronger guard with Jackson as well as a great defensive power in Tayshaun Prince.

Most Pistons fans are just glad that the Joe Johnson trade with the Nets never happened. It’ll be exciting to see if Reggie Jackson and Prince will help Detroit make the final push into the playoffs. 

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