Depending on who you asked, the expectations for Trajan Langdon and the Detroit Pistons leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline were all over. Some wanted to parlay the team’s surprising start to the season with a big move. Otherwise wanted to eat sin and take bad contracts for draft picks. Some were in the middle. I went to the crew at DBB to take a deeper look at what happened Thursday and what’ll happen going forward:
1. The Pistons made a flurry of minor moves over the last 48 hours, eventually netting guards Dennis Schröder, Lindy Waters and a pair of future second round picks. What grade do you give Langdon on his first deadline?
Sean Corp: I will go with a B-minus. I guess $14 million just doesn’t buy what it used to. My mild enthusiasm combined with mild disappointment mostly stems from the fact that the draft capital return wasn’t great, and while the two players coming in seem useful, I was really hoping the Pistons would add players with a bit more size and heft to help what can sometimes be extremely small lineups.
Laz Jackson: A hard B. The Pistons brought in more draft capital, filled the most glaring need on the roster (ballhandling when Cade has to sit), and did it without bringing in any long-term money onto their cap sheet. But the team is … probably not that much better? Schröder is fine (not great, not terrible, just fine), and I like Lindy Waters as Maybe Another Simone. This team has already blown expectations out of the water for the season, asking them to conjure up a perfect deadline is a little much to ask. So I am encouraged but not blown away.
Ben Gulker: B-minus. Better than passing but a little underwhelming. If Schröder still is who he was in Brooklyn, it gets better, though. Having watched a fair amount of his play in Golden State, I’m probably a little tougher than others on the acquisition.
Brady Fredericksen: It’s a B, a perfectly fine outcome. It kinda reminds me of taking a paper clip and trading for new items over and over until you get what you want. Langdon basically traded cap space for a desperately-needed, starting-caliber point guard — and the only casualty on the roster was a benchwarmer in Wendell Carter Jr.
Wes Davenport: I‘d go with a solid B. The Pistons didn’t give up anything other than cap space to get Schröder and Waters. Schröder can handle the ball when Cade sits which is a plus and Waters is a good shooter. The only reason I don’t say A here is because I do not believe “ball handler” was the real need for this roster — they have plenty of players who can dribble the ball up the floor and make the first pass. I think this team needs another on-ball threat. Schröder was that guy with the Nets, he was not with the Warriors. So which version are the Pistons getting? Overall, I like the gamble.
Ben Quagliata: The Pistons, to me, had two potential avenues of improvement this season. The most obvious being the backup PG/second playmaker role, while I also think they could’ve used additional depth at the PF slot given Fontecchio’s struggles playing they’re out of position. Getting Schröder for essentially free is a good pickup if he can get back to his Brooklyn form and not what he showed in his brief sojourn in Golden State. He averaged over 18 points a game and 6 assists this season for Brooklyn in over 33 minutes a night, shooting 38.7% from three, so he’s still got the offensive juice. As for Waters, he’s struggled this year, only hitting 33% from three, and was steadily losing minutes in Golden State. I would’ve preferred keeping KJ Martin around over him as I think Martin is more useful to this current roster but it’s hardly one I’m losing sleep over. If Waters can find his shot again he’ll be a valuable bench piece in spurts if necessary. I think that grades out to me at a solid B-minus/C-plus for now, based on the depth PF problem.
Robbie Bettelon: I’ll give Trajan a B-plus. He’s winning trades on the margins and the addition of Dennis should bring some much needed help to the bench unit. If he keeps this up, he’ll be able to cash in for Cade’s No. 2.
Max Strum: I guess I am the optimist amongst this group, and I’d give the Pistons an A. I am overall pleased with what the organization did given their current position, and was glad to not see them go after a guy like Brandon Ingram. The team was able to acquire one, maybe two players that will help them for the rest of this season, while also netting additional assets that can help them in the future. The Pistons are in a weird tweener position, where they are too good to tank at this point, yet they also aren’t in a position to make a big win-now swing. It is important for the long term health of the organization to see what they have in youngsters such as Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, and Ron Holland. These moves allow them to continue to evaluate those players nightly while giving them a slight boost as they ramp up their playoff, or play-in push.
2. How do you see the new pieces fitting with a relatively established rotation in Detroit?
Sean Corp: The only non-negotiable was that Langdon had to come out of this deadline with a solution to the problem of getting so little consistent offense when Cade sits. I think he clearly did that with the Schröder trade. He fits in perfectly with what Detroit needs. Though I would call his defense substandard, at least it isn’t a horror show.
Laz Jackson: Schröder should get all of the Marcus Sasser minutes and more. You could feasibly play Schröder and Cade together as well — I’m not sure Schröder is going to be playing down the stretch of games, but it could happen on a night where THJ or Beasley doesn’t have it. And like I said above, I think Lindy Waters could get some of Simone’s minutes when Simone isn’t knocking down shots (which is more often than I’d like this season).
Ben Gulker: Schroder fits the obvious backup PG need, although I am more interested in his ability to spell Cade than seeing him as a piece that moves the needle much. His defense is a concern, especially given how poor perimeter defense was just last season. Any production from Waters seems like an added bonus to me.
Brady Fredericksen: If Dennis plays like he did in Golden State, it won’t be great. But I think he’ll have plenty of freedom running the second unit in Detroit, replacing Sasser. He’s always been a guy who is at his best when he’s playing outside of structure. He’ll keep the offense going when Cade is off the floor. It’s another bucket getter, but unlike a Malik Beasley, Schröder is a guy who can get his own shots off the dribble. Detroit desperately needed that after Jaden Ivey’s injury.
Wes Davenport: Schroder is a solid bench piece to take Sasser’s minutes, Waters likely doesn’t see the floor outside of injury relief. There may be an argument for starting Schröder depending on how strong his Jaden Ivey impression is, but at this point I wouldn’t expect that to be the outcome.
Ben Quagliata: Schröder should come in and eat all of Sasser’s minutes right away. He’ll also allow Cade more chances to rest, both in terms of sitting on the bench and also just playing possessions off the ball as a shooter, which is Schröder’s greatest value to this team. There’ll be a closer mirror to Cade and Ivey in terms of playing them both together, as well as staggered, even though I doubt Dennis starts, and I wouldn’t be surprised either if he takes some minutes from Hardaway Jr too. Waters I doubt will see much time outside of when the team is desperate for shooting and wants another look if Beasley and Hardaway Jr are both struggling.
Robbie Bettelon: I would imagine Sasser gets pushed out of the rotation. I’d think Dennis sees roughly 15-18 minutes per game as the backup point guard. I wouldn’t expect Waters to play or be on the team next year.
Max Strum: Shroder is obviously the bigger get here. He gives the team an additional ball-handling option behind Cade. This allows him to take Marcus Sasser’s backup point guard minutes, while giving Sasser a chance to be more of an ancillary scoring guyard alongside Cade or Schröder for stretches. Shroder also immediately gives the teams perimeter defense a spark, and I like his culture fit as a pest to go along with guys like Isaiah Stewart and Holland. As far as Waters is concerned, he likely moves the needle less, but shooting depth is never a bad thing. It gives the team another option to throw out there on nights where there are injuries, or regular rotation players just don’t have it. Good teams have guys like this in the back of their benches.
3. Does this trade deadline do enough in your mind to keep the Pistons in the hunt for the No. 6 seed? Where do you think they land when it’s all said and done?
Sean Corp: I think the Pistons were going to be in the hunt regardless of any trades made at the deadline, and the team is better now than it was 24 hours ago. They have addressed a huge need, can run an offense for 48 minutes, and can throw another ball-handler on the floor for those nights when Cade is struggling to navigate the double-teams and extra attention. This team still has a long way to go, but I think they will 100% make the play-in and have even odds at dodging the play-in and simply being a top-six team in the East.
Laz Jackson: In my mind, the Pistons “should” finish 8th, behind Orlando and Miami but above the Hawks (who got worse this deadline trading away Bogdanovic and Hunter), the Bulls (who STINK, eeeeuuuugggghhh), and the Sixers (who are cooked if Embiid misses any time post-ASB). I think the Schröder move in particular helps keep them playing solid basketball.
Ben Gulker: It helps some, but indirectly. If the Pistons make a final push, a healthy, rested Cade will be the best outcome. However, it’s also pretty easy to imagine a healthy Orlando squad leapfrogging Detroit regardless. The 7-8 seed seems most likely to me, and that’s an amazing achievement on its own.
Brady Fredericksen: You know, I’m not sure. Miami got better by adding Andrew Wiggins and lifting the weight of Jimmy Butler off their backs. Both Orlando and Philly are going to continue to get healthier and better, too. It’s going to be a highly-contested race to the finish, but as long as Cade Cunningham is healthy, I think the Pistons have a chance — though an appearance in the play-in tournament feels like the betting favorite.
Wes Davenport: Well it doesn’t hurt. Look, the Magic and the 76ers both have more talented rosters than Detroit, there was almost nothing that could be done this deadline to change that. I know the Heat just moved Butler but they are still a good and talented team that isn’t about to tank the season away. If the Pistons had done nothing today, making the playoffs as the 6th seed would have been a stretch. That hasn’t changed. Doesn’t mean it won’t happen! But it would truly be out kicking their coverage. They should be a play-in team if they can keep this up however. So that is my hope. Adding Schroder does nothing to change my expectations. He’s a good player, he’s not that good.
Ben Quagliata: Before the season, my prediction was feisty play-in contender before ultimately settling around 12th. The fact they’ve managed to stay afloat and in contention for the sixth spot despite having a directionless bench unit outside of Malik Beasley for the better part of a month now is outstanding work, so I expect Schröder’s influence to settle that weakness down.
The Pistons are now in contention mainly with Miami and Orlando for that last playoff spot. I think Atlanta’s intentions are clear with shipping off Hunter, likewise Chicago with Lavine. My final prediction is they settle in the 7-8 spot and play Miami in the first play in matchup.
Robbie Bettelon: If Schröder can be 90% of who he was in Brooklyn, they have a good chance of passing Miami for the 6th seed. At minimum, they’ll be the 7th seed since I don’t think the teams below can catch them — the Magic can’t shoot, the Hawks now have less shooting around Trae, and the Bulls are weird.
Max Strum: They certainly have a puncher’s chance, and Schröder is a legitimate help in that regard. The Heat just traded their best player, and the Sixers have been so bad despite their talent on paper. Orlando obviously seems to be the biggest threat. To me, I am less worried about avoiding the play-in. I just want to see the team play meaningful basketball in April, and build some momentum going into next season, where avoiding the play-in becomes a legitimate goal from the jump.
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As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments!
1. The Pistons made a flurry of minor moves over the last 48 hours, eventually netting guards Dennis Schröder, Lindy Waters and a pair of future second round picks. What grade do you give Langdon on his first deadline?
2. How do you see the new pieces fitting with a relatively established rotation in Detroit?
3. Does this trade deadline do enough in your mind to keep the Pistons in the hunt for the No. 6 seed? Where do you think they land when it’s all said and done?