Tag: Troy Weaver

The Pistons apologized to their fans for tanking exactly as planned this year

A heartfelt letter to essentially say they regret nothing.

The Detroit Pistons sent a heartfelt letter to their fans on Monday, apologizing for their direction in the 2022-2023 NBA season. But at a certain point, this nosedive — being the league’s worst team — became the plan.

Entering the year, the Pistons expected to be rejuvenated, a legitimate power player in the Eastern Conference.

But then Detroit started the season with single-digit wins in the first two months. Then Cade Cunningham was lost to injury. And ever since, it’s been a slow, tanking march to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Clearly, at this point, this pivot was part of their overall plan.

The Pistons saw the forest for the trees — a waiting Victor Wembanyama.

Just take a gander at how GM Troy Weaver characterizes a non-linear path in rebuilding:

“Rebuilding a team does not always follow a linear path, and we experienced that this year with the injury to Cade Cunningham that forced him to miss a majority of the season. While that injury impacted the continuity of our team, it also presented an opportunity for growth from others.

Overall, our players have overwhelmingly embraced the core principle of going to work and competing every night. We are in an excellent spot to upgrade our roster this offseason. We’ve positioned ourselves for another high draft choice in this year’s draft, we have a favorable salary cap position, and we’ll continue to talk with teams and evaluate trade opportunities as they present themselves.”

Weaver or Pistons brass would never admit it outright, but when he says rebuilding doesn’t follow a linear path, he’s obviously referring to how Detroit eventually stopped trying to win. Not that a lousy roster had much of a chance anyway, but going 1-21 in their last 22 games since early February is the Pistons waving the white flag, hoping they had the opportunity to draft a generational French superstar.

Detroit entered this season hoping to put itself back on the map. That didn’t happen because sometimes you must adapt and know when to fold your hand. If that means penning a (probably insincere) apology to your fanbase for falling short of expectations, so be it.

Sometimes you gotta keep your eye on the Wembanyama prize.

The Pistons, by trading for Bojan Bogdanovic, prove they’re no longer tanking — and it’s the right call

Don’t expect to see the Pistons tank for Victor Wembanyama.

There comes a time in every rebuilding organization’s timeline when they decide they are no longer selling assets but instead buying.

That is exactly what the Detroit Pistons did by trading for Bojan Bogdanovic, a valuable 6-foot-7 forward who has averaged at least 17.0 points per game in four consecutive seasons, from the Jazz.

This move represented a passing of the torch, in some ways. Utah is very obviously tanking after trading away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert (as well as Patrick Beverley, Royce O’Neale, and now Bogdanovic). Meanwhile, it also means that Detroit (despite trading Jerami Grant) is graduating into a new chapter of its organizational reconstruction.

Detroit, however, was undoubtedly a surprising destination for Bogdanovic.

Before becoming the Pistons general manager, Troy Weaver was a longtime executive for the Thunder. During his time with the organization, he was the right-hand man for Oklahoma City’s Sam Presti. The Thunder are a team that knows a thing or two about the art of tanking.

Since taking over the front office, Weaver has implemented similar strategies in Detroit. Early in Weaver’s tenure, the Pistons bought out Blake Griffin and traded Christian Wood, Luke Kennard, and Derrick Rose.

Dan Wetzel described it as one of the all-time great tank jobs in NBA history (via Yahoo):

“Weaver took over as general manager last offseason, inheriting a going-nowhere, veteran-laden roster. Rather than continue to tread water or wait to bottom out in the standings, he proceeded to trade away nearly everyone.”

Every single player who was on Detroit’s roster in 2019-20 was gone by September 2021.

The losing seasons netted them rising star Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. They selected Jaden Ivey, another potential star, this year.

Cunningham and Ivey are joined by several other recent first-rounders including Saddiq Bey, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Marvin Bagley III, Killian Hayes, and (most recently) Kevin Knox.

Now, however, Detroit has indicated that they are no longer prioritizing getting the highest draft pick possible by finishing at the bottom of the standings.

Instead, as noted by The Athletic’s James Edwards, they want to “make progress in the win column” this season.

Bogdanovic was an instrumental player on a team that had the best record in the NBA during the 2020-21 season. He has already played in eight playoff series during his NBA career thus far.

Nerlens Noel, the defensive-oriented big man who they also acquired from the Knicks this off-season, has made the playoffs multiple times since turning pro as well.

Even though Detroit isn’t going to contend to make the Eastern Conference Finals this year, they’re likely no longer going to be in the race for the No. 1 overall pick.

Instead, it’s more likely they feel they have their young core in place and want them to experience winning. Like the Grizzlies in 2021 and the Cavs and Timberwolves last season, this is a young team that could exceed their expectations and perhaps they can even make the playoffs.

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Redick, Tommy Alter and his …

Redick, Tommy Alter and his guest, Chicago Bulls wing Alex Caruso, were asked by a listener on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast: “Which team with a young core are you most excited to see, based off this summer, going into next year?” Redick chose the Pistons. “Obviously Cade, but Saddiq Bey, Jaden Ivey looked great in summer league before he got hurt, and Isaiah Stewart I’m a big fan of. I think he’s a guy that stars in his role. … Troy Weaver has just done an outstanding job, and I don’t know if it’s next year that they take an Oklahoma City Thunder leap, where all of the sudden they’re a playoff team and then the following season a contender. But I’m excited to see them play over the next two or three years, cause I think, in two or three years they will be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.” “That’s a big statement,” Caruso said. “To me, that’s dependent on does Cade become — I’m not saying he’s gonna be Luka (Doncic) — but if he becomes a true No. 1 franchise-level player,” Redick said.

Pistons interested in Gordon Hayward

The Detroit Pistons have been identified as a “possible trading partner” with the Charlotte Hornets for forward Gordon Hayward. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony dropped that report amid an NBA mock draft blurb predicting Memphis big man Jalen Duren to the New …

The Detroit Pistons have been identified as a “possible trading partner” with the Charlotte Hornets for forward Gordon Hayward. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony dropped that report amid an NBA mock draft blurb predicting Memphis big man Jalen Duren to the New York Knicks at No. 11. “Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver is one of Duren’s biggest fans in the NBA, sources say, and could very well look to target him in a draft night trade if he continued to slide down the board, especially to Charlotte, which has been identified as a possible trading partner for the Pistons in a potential Gordon Hayward deal.”

Source: Paul Kasabian @ Bleacher Report

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

James Plowright @British_Buzz
“Pistons GM Troy Weaver is one of Duren’s biggest fans in the NBA, and could very well look to target him in a draft night trade… Especially to Charlotte, which has been identified as a possible trading partner for the Pistons in a potential Gordon Hayward.”
Per @Jonathan Givony pic.twitter.com/gekpvGJF9e – 4:35 PM

Mark Deeks @MarkDeeksNBA
Absolutely shocked to find out that stretching Nic Batum to give Gordon Hayward nine figures might come back to be prohibitively expensive and lead to burning assets just to save money at a later date. Wait, no I’m not.
skysports.com/nba/news/36244… – 2:25 PM
James Plowright @British_Buzz
Heard an interesting suggestion by @Sam Vecenie on his podcast:
Ayton > Detroit S&T
Hayward > Suns
Trade exception > Charlotte
This kind of makes sense for all teams, it would need a pick here or there – 9:00 AM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Report: Hornets looking to trade Hayward, would attach No. 13 or 15 pick nba.nbcsports.com/2022/06/22/rep… – 1:01 PM
Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
I’ll be on @ESPNLosAngeles w/@John Ireland from 1-4 pm! Talking Lakers trade rumors (Russ, Kyrie, Nets, Hornets, Hayward, etc.), Dodgers, Gronk, the Sheen family, Mandy Awards preview and more! Listen up! AK – 3:39 PM
Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
2022 NBA Draft prospect Jake LaRavia (@jacob_laravia3) has worked out for GS (twice), NY, BKN, MIL, TOR, DEN, MEM, ORL, SA, OKC, MIA, MIN, etc.
He talks about his skill set, modeling his game after Gordon Hayward, his draft-night plans and more.
PODCAST: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the… – 12:11 PM

More on this storyline

According to ESPN’s NBA guru Brian Windhorst, the Hornets are not only looking at the prospect of sending Hayward packing. They also have two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, and it appears that they may use them as leverage in a potential deal: “Keep an eye on the Charlotte Hornets,” Windhorst said. “Now, they have two picks in the middle of the draft: picks 13 and 15. People in the league do not feel they will make both picks. They might not even make either pick. But right now they are looking to make a deal with one of those picks, combine them with one of the salaries that they have in-house. Gordon Hayward is one of the names we’re hearing, potentially to offload some money, potentially to move around the draft, as they try to clear some salary space for Miles Bridges. That’s a top free agent for them, they got a lot of salary committed.” -via Clutch Points / June 22, 2022
Are there players in the league now or retired that you’d compare yourself to? JL: Gordon Hayward. -via HoopsHype / June 15, 2022

Pistons interested in Gordon Hayward

The Detroit Pistons have been identified as a “possible trading partner” with the Charlotte Hornets for forward Gordon Hayward. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony dropped that report amid an NBA mock draft blurb predicting Memphis big man Jalen Duren to the New York Knicks at No. 11. “Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver is one of Duren’s biggest fans in the NBA, sources say, and could very well look to target him in a draft night trade if he continued to slide down the board, especially to Charlotte, which has been identified as a possible trading partner for the Pistons in a potential Gordon Hayward deal.”

General manager Troy Weaver made it …

General manager Troy Weaver made it clear that the Pistons wouldn’t settle in any potential Grant deals. Clearing additional salary cap was a priority, per sources, and Detroit accomplished that goal. While the Pistons didn’t receive the draft capital or assets that some expected or hoped for, they will have significant flexibility this offseason and will be able to facilitate additional deals, should they wish to.

Detroit could also opt to take on an …

Detroit could also opt to take on an expiring contract in a salary dump for additional assets. All of those options are on the table, per sources. The Pistons are also eyeing the 2023 free agency class, which is expected to be stronger than 2022’s. They have the flexibility to go in a number of directions — something the franchise hasn’t had in recent seasons.