It is common practice for a team sitting in a basement NBAArrange to be a strong seller once the trade deadline has arrived. We’ve seen it over and over again, year after year. the pistons, though, may break that mold in 2023; At least, they don’t seem eager to be big sellers.
Detroit, which currently has the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, is getting a lot of calls about many players, according to league sources. ancient warrior Bojan Bogdanovic And Alec Burks The names of the two competing teams are most actively inquired about, while be honest with you And Nerlens Noel She also gained interest around the NBA.
Here’s everything I’ve learned and gathered regarding these four names and their February 9 trading deadline:
Bojan Bogdanovic
Perhaps more than any player in the NBA, the 33-year-old forward has been a hot topic of trade rumors over the past month. It’s easy to understand why. Bogdanovic, a professional bucket player, is in the midst of his best offensive season. He averaged a career-best 21.2 points while shooting 41.5 percent from 3. Going into Saturday, Bogdanovic has scored at least 20 points in each of his last eight games, tying for the longest streak of his nine-year career. Teams around the league with – at least – playoff aspirations have looked at where Bogdanovic is at this moment in his career and weighed the Pistons’ priorities in a bid to keep the Croatian striker away from the Motor City.
While Detroit aspires to be more competitive next season — and Bogdanovic will certainly help make that happen — the Pistons aren’t opposed to a move, league sources say. However, they don’t anxiously try to deal with him either, as they appreciate not only his play on the field, but also the leadership he brought to the young team. According to league sources, Bogdanovic’s acquisition price appears to be, at the very least, an unprotected first-round pick. With the trading deadline approaching, the sense is that there’s a good chance Detroit’s front office will be offered the pick it’s looking for, which could then prompt the team to seriously consider the risks and reward of leaving with a quality player with uncertain assets.
Alec Burks
Just like Bogdanovic, the 31-year-old Burks, another professional scorer, is in the midst of his best offensive season since entering the NBA. He averaged 13.8 points off the bench while shooting career bests 46 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3. Couple his production with a contract he has a decent $10.4 million team option for next season, and it’s easy to understand why teams often inquire. about its availability.
Of course, every player has a price, but according to league sources, the Pistons showed very little interest in trading Burks before the deadline. The feeling I get is that the team will have to overpay for Pyrex’s services. Detroit would like to keep him around next summer and season when the organization hopes to once again turn a corner with its rebuild.
be honest with you
The third year forward has had an up and down season, however, and has been the subject of trade rumors lately. Interest from opposing teams increased, according to league sources, when Bay was moved to the bench in November. Teams have since kept tabs on his availability.
However, I got the impression that the Pistons aren’t willing to move on from 23-year-old Bay unless an agreement is reached that they can’t refuse. What would be the consequence of such an offer? I’m not sure, but according to league sources, Detroit hasn’t made it seem like Bey is available for pennies.
Nerlens Noel
In last week’s win on TimberwolvesThe veteran center posted four blocks and three steals in the third quarter, sending a reminder to opposing teams that he still had the defensive chops that once made him one of the league’s best guards.
Both sides agreed that the deal would be best for both of them, but that did not mean that the trade would appear before the February 9 deadline. If the deal doesn’t materialize by then, according to league sources, Noel, who has a team option for $9.6 million, isn’t looking to accept the takeover. The Pistons will likely enter the summer with the plan of not picking up Noel’s option or, if they do, using it to absorb the trade, should it materialize.
According to league sources, the teams most involved in talks with the Pistons about Noel so far are Miami HeatAnd Denver Nuggets And Dallas Mavericks.
(Photo by Bojan Bogdanovic: Rick Ossentowski/USA Today)