Detroit Pistons Trade Reaction

Dec 10, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince (22) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Pistons 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

As was announced yesterday, the Detroit Pistons completed a three-team trade that sent Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye to the Memphis Grizzlies and returned Jose Calderon from the Toronto Raptors. Here’s some of the reaction from around the internet.

Patrick Hayes from PistonPowered:

"Joe Dumars accomplished three pretty remarkable things. He moved Tayshaun Prince‘s significant long-term money for an expiring contract. He did not have to give up an asset to get a team to take on that money (apologies to Austin Daye). The “rental” player he received in return is actual a really useful veteran who solves the team’s biggest weaknesses – shooting, passing and ability to take care of the basketball at the point guard spot."

The big thing here is that Jose Calderon’s contract expires at the end of the year so the Pistons were really acquiring him in order to gain financial flexibility in the upcoming offseason. Patrick argues that Dumars accomplished this while both (1) not sacrificing any of the team’s long-term assets and (2) acquiring a useful player that possibly upgrades the team in the short-term.

Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press says that it was the “right time to say goodbye to Tayshaun Prince”, but says the onus is now on Joe Dumars to make something of it.

"This was a good trade, but it also places an unwritten ultimatum on Pistons president Joe Dumars. If the Pistons aren’t a playoff team capable of advancing beyond the first round next season with all the possibilities now available to them, Dumars should be shown the door. After this summer, there are no longer any excuses."

The last time the Pistons had significant money in an offseason, they spent it on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. They’re still feeling the effects of those poor signings. The Pistons now have a solid young core, and they’ll apparently have some money now to add an impact veteran.

Sean Corp of Detroit Bad Boys thinks the Pistons are a winner in the three-team trade. Calderon has been mentioned first and foremost as an expiring contract, but Corp thinks Detroit could look to re-sign him.

"Jose, incidentally, is the first real point guard Motown has had since trading Chauncey Billups. Detroit and Calderon can both use the second half of the season as a test run on a possible long-term relationship. If things click Detroit can re-sign him in the offseason and if not he can move on."

Tayshaun Prince was a big part of some really good Pistons teams – and it sucks to see him go from a nostalgia perspective – but he wasn’t worth to the Pistons what they were paying him, and moving on was a good thing. Dumars appears to be universally applauded for this move, but it’s clear that this was just the first step. He now needs to find the right piece(s) that will allow the team to move forward in the coming seasons.