The Detroit Pistons will almost certainly make a couple of additions this summer to improve the team on the offensive end. Considering their draft capital, assets, and financial flexibility, the Pistons can go many different directions, and this makes for a fascinating offseason.
It also makes coming up with mock trade scenarios a very fun exercise. The options are endless for Detroit since they have the resources to make competitive offers for any player on the trade block.
One trade construction that lands them not one, but two offensive difference-makers involves the Grizzlies and the Pelicans. Detroit can acquire Ty Jerome and Trey Murphy to boost their offense by sending out Isaiah Stewart, Duncan Robinson, and three first-round picks.
It's important to think of this scenario as the general framework of a trade. There could be more draft picks or pick swaps included. It might be Caris LeVert instead of Duncan Robinson, or Ron Holland may have to be a part of the package to make it work.
Conceptually, this trade makes some sense for all three teams. The Grizzlies finally move on from Ja Morant while adding two future first-round picks. They add the expiring contract of Jordan Poole, creating potential cap space for next summer. Robinson is a valuable player whom they can flip later.
The Pelicans achieve their goal of trading Murphy in a win-now move. They still get back into the first round of the draft while adding a star-caliber player in Morant, and a desperately needed starting center in Isaiah Stewart.
For our purposes, the Pistons' side of the deal is obviously the most important one. Detroit gives up significant draft capital and loses two important role players, but Jerome and Murphy are worth the price.
Murphy is the archetype of a player the Pistons need: a sharpshooter who doesn't compromise the team's defensive identity. He is also only 25 years old and is on a team-friendly deal. His combination of size, shooting, and athleticism would be the perfect fit around Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren.
Jerome, on the other hand, is one of the best under-the-radar trade candidates the Pistons can pursue this summer. Since he missed most of last season with an injury and the Grizzlies had a lost campaign, Jerome is never mentioned among potential trade targets.
After being one of the best sixth men and most improved players in the league a season ago, Jerome continued his emergence in his brief tenure in Memphis last year. He scored almost 20 points per game on impressive 47.4/42.0/87.5 shooting splits. He can get to the rim, shoot, score, and make plays for his teammates while only making $9.2 million.
Giving up so many assets is certainly risky for the Pistons, but GM Trajan Langdon has to be aggressive this summer. The Pistons have to close the gap between the top teams in the league and themselves, and offensive upgrades are the only way to do so. This trade accomplishes just that.
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