After finishing nearly last in the Eastern Conference last season, the Detroit Pistons have made some changes to their roster this offseason. Here’s a Detroit Pistons Offseason Summary.
Trade with Knicks
Back on draft night, the Pistons reached an agreement with the New York Knicks. In the deal, the Pistons received Kemba Walker and the No. 13 draft pick, Jalen Duren, in exchange for a future first-round draft pick.
Last season with the Knicks, Walker averaged 11.6 points per game, 3 rebounds per game, and 3.5 assists per game, with all these statistics being career lows. The 32-year-old point guard clearly has more to offer than these numbers, having averaged 25.6 points per game for the Charlotte Hornets just three years back. However, the Pistons and Walker are finalizing a contract buyout, which will likely make him a free agent.
Jalen Duren, also acquired in the draft-night trade with the Knicks, looks to be promising this year. The 18-year-old center put up 12 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game last year for the University of Memphis while shooting 60% from the field.
Another Trade with Knicks
As the offseason progressed, the Pistons found another deal with the Knicks that resulted in two main additions: Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks. Noel’s scoring has declined in recent years, and he only notched 3.4 points per game last season. On the Pistons, he’ll likely come off the bench and provide rebounding. Noel averaged 5.6 rebounds last year.
Alec Burks seems like he’ll make an impact this year on the Pistons. The 31-year-old shooting guard averaged 11.7 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, and 3 assists per game last season with the Knicks. In Detroit, it’s possible that Burks will take on a more significant role and up these numbers.
Jaden Ivey
Though he wasn’t acquired during the offseason, it’s worth mentioning the No. 5 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft: Jaden Ivey. The 200-pound point guard is clearly NBA-ready, having posted 17.3 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, and 3.1 assists per game last year for Purdue University. Adding to an already-young Pistons team, Ivey is set up for success.
Jerami Grant to Trail Blazers
The main loss for the Pistons this offseason is forward Jerami Grant, who’s headed to the Portland Trail Blazers. Grant was a prolific scorer for Detroit last year, putting up 19.2 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists per game.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Pistons look like they’ll exceed last season’s results. With new draft additions as well as a couple bench scorers, they will likely be able to fill the hole left by Jerami Grant’s departure.
Stay tuned for more breaking NBA content, including preseason moves, contract updates and more news from every team.
Featured image courtesy of the University of Memphis
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