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Detroit Pistons: Analyzing the trade of Jon Leuer for Tony Snell

By Joseph Wooley

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 17: Tony Snell #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks gets a first half shot off in front of Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on December 17, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 17: Tony Snell #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks gets a first half shot off in front of Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on December 17, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Pistons have traded Jon Leuer to the Milwaukee Bucks. In exchange, they are receiving Tony Snell and the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft.

Late at night, maybe twenty hours before the commencement of the 2019 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons were already busy making moves. They traded Jon Leuer (and his final year at $9.5 million) to the Bucks for Tony Snell ($23.5 million for the next two years) and the 30th pick in the 2019 draft. This is a beneficial move for Detroit for several reasons.

They are filling a need at the starting wing position. Tony Snell, while not the most dominant wing in the league, is coming off his best season, when he shot 45% from the field and 39% from three. He has shot over 40% at the three-point range before, meaning he will compete with Luke Kennard as the best long-range shooter on the team.

As an added bonus, he shot 88% from the free throw line, albeit in limited attempts. All this to say, Snell fills a bit of the void left by Reggie Bullock after last season, and he will compete for the starting spot. He does come at a high price, roughly $11.5 million both this year and next, but it may prove valuable if Snell continues to improve.

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They are saving at least a portion of next year’s cap space, though. The Pistons can now move on from Jon Leuer. After coming to Detroit in his sixth season, unfortunately, Leuer was never worth his $10.5 million salary. Through no real fault of his own, he was struck with consistent injury woes. He played 75 games in his first season with Detroit, but just 49 in his next two.

In 2017, he played only eight games before taking a full year to surgically repair an ankle injury. Even in 2017-18, his healthiest season in Detroit, though, he was not as good as he was in years past, although it was the lone year he scored more than 10 points per game. With Blake Griffin at power forward and Thon Maker backing him up, Leuer’s role was made mostly redundant. It is time to move on.

Finally, they have one extra bargaining option in this year’s draft. In what could be described as a “throw-in” incentive, getting the 30th pick in the draft is actually quite meaningful. Although it is the final pick in the first round, the Pistons can do a number of actions with it. First, they could use #30 to take a player who might not have been there at #45. Now, they probably have more of an eye on forwards. More likely, however, they could package the pick into another trade. Whatever happens, Milwaukee will still be making the pick on behalf of Detroit (or a possible trade partner). An extra draft pick means more leverage.

Next. 2019 NBA Draft information and preview. dark

The Detroit Pistons made a smart trade this close to the draft. They were able to both fill an existing need with a known quantity and add a future pick as an experiment or trade chip. Hopefully, Leuer will not come back and dominate against his former team, à la Spencer Dinwiddie, but for now, this trade favors Detroit.

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