NBA Free Agency 2017: One trade every team should make
Detroit Pistons
Stan Van Gundy is actively standing by for calls on the two players he was supposed to be building around. However, both Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson have their blemishes. Drummond owns the lowest free throw percentage in NBA history, while Jackson seems to be a malcontent wherever he goes.
The panic in Detroit is centered around winning now, so one of these two needs to go. I think they should till their culture and then see what grows.
Detroit’s 2016-17 season was mostly a hot mess, but they started out as a respectable team while Jackson was sidelined with knee tendinitis. The Pistons found their stride on offense with Ish Smith at the helm and a better distribution of the ball. Once Jackson finished his battle with injuries, fighting with his teammates began.
While Bazemore shouldn’t be making the money he’s making, being a great teammate is his best trait. Entire montages exist to display his tremendous support of others. For Jackson’s talent, his quality as a teammate is tenuous at best. Bazemore’s not much more than a 3-and-D guy, but he might bring the best chemistry in the league.
Usually, the team who receives the best player in the deal wins the trade. In this case, Detroit would get the exact kind of presence they need to provide peace to an unrestful locker room.