3 players besides Bojan Bogdanovic Pistons could trade to a contender

1. Nerlens Noel

There’s no question that Nerlens Noel is the odd man out among Detroit’s frontcourt featuring Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley and Isaiah Stewart.  Since moving Duren into the starting lineup he’s been dominant pulling down an average of 13.7 boards over the past seven games with four double-doubles. Marvin Bagley also signed a hefty contract this year and Isaiah Stewart has been featured in the rotation since his rookie season. In other words, the Pistons have no incentive to play Noel.

A former first-round pick, Noel struggled with injuries while playing for the Knicks last season, but he’s known for being a defensive-minded shot blocker who can provide useful minutes off the bench. The Clippers previously showed interest in Noel after losing Hartenstein and they could use some backup in the paint behind Ivica Zubac. More recently, the Heat, Blazers, Kings and Mavericks have expressed interest in Noel too. Unfortunately, it’s not going to be easy to trade Noel who’s currently making $9.2 million unless he’s involved in a larger deal and that certainly bodes for the intriguing potential of a multi-player deal for the Pistons.

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