There is a fascinating scene in the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit,” where the ceiling turns into a chess board. The main character looks up at the chess pieces, moving them around in her imagination, reacting to different situations, going on the offensive, constantly reacting, constantly learning.
Which what it feels like watching Troy Weaver transform the Detroit Pistons.
There are a pieces hanging there, seemingly floating in the air — players, expiring contracts, bloated salaries, roster space, lottery picks and potential trades — and he moves the pieces around, grabbing some and trading others, being incredibly aggressive and yet calculated at the same time.
In just two years of work as general manager, Weaver has flipped the entire roster, brought together a core of young, exiting players and built a backcourt with so much potential it’s scary. Best of all, the Pistons still have cap space and are positioned to get even more talent through free agency.
Can you say: Deandre Ayton or Miles Bridges?
Making all those changes in such a short time, with the ability to add more talent, requires creativity and conviction.
Not to mention uncommon vision.
Weaver has turned the NBA into his own 3-D chess match, which is exciting, refreshing and brings a welcome surge of hope.
Some suggest Weaver has a master plan, and every move is planned out, like he already knows what he will do on Step Z before taking Step D.
[ Pistons jacked up their athleticism by adding Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren ]
But I think it’s the opposite of that. Yes, he is thinking ahead, but it’s more free flowing and fluid, like a pick-and-roll applied to the business world, with every move creating a new set options and decisions. He is not following a set path. He is reacting to ever-changing situations, making decisions on the fly, always trusting his gut, always trusting what he sees. Weaver has strong opinions on players and he is building this roster based on those assessments, after taking in all the reports from his staff — the so called “Value Department.”
Coming into this draft, it is clear now Weaver was working under a set of guiding principles and goals: get longer, more versatile, more athletic, fill holes and add competitive spirit. Having principles instead of sticking to a rigid plan allowed him to react to every situation.
He didn’t know Jaden Ivey was going to be available when he was drafting atNo. 5. Ivey could have been taken by Sacramento. But the Kings, bless their hearts, acted like the Kings.
He didn’t know Jalen Duren would be available via trade.
But Weaver put the Pistons in position to pounce when those opportunities came about, after clearing cap space the day before; and he ended up with the two most athletic players in this draft.
Let’s start with Ivey, whose game is similar to Russell Westbrook. In 2008, Weaver handled player personnel decision for Oklahoma City and he advocated for drafting Westbrook. And yes, he learned from that situation. “(Ivey) has the same physical abilities as Westbrook, very similar in size, very similar athletes,” Weaver said Friday on the “Stoney & Jansen with Heather” on WXYT-FM 97.1 The Ticket. “So yeah. I’ve seen this movie before. And I liked the movie, but you know, he brings a lot to the table. … We’re excited about the talent he brings and a competitive spirit. That’s very similar to Russell Westbrook.”
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You want to know the second part to that decision?
Not making another move.
Several teams wanted Ivey and called the Pistons, offering different options. But he held pat. Ivey is his guy.
Sometimes, the best moves are the ones you don’t make.
“I’ve been around this game a long time and this tonight has been as action packed as I’ve been around,” Weaver said.
It was a night of phone calls and texts, moves and potential moves; and when it was all done, the Pistons wound up with Duren.
Amazing.
“I’ve been in the NBA draft as an agent or as an executive for 40 years,” vice chairman Arn Tellem said. “And I think Troy might agree with me that it was the craziest night ever. And it’ll be a chapter in my book one day.”
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The lesson
Late Thursday night, Weaver slumped into a chair in the media room at the Pistons practice facility.
“Woo,” he said, exhaling. “It’s the first time I have sat down and collected myself.”
Take a seat man. Relax. You’ve earned it.
Think about what Weaver did in two days of work.
He traded Jerami Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers for a 2025 first-round pick — and everybody groaned.
But then he flipped that future first into a current lottery pick — the rights to Duren (via Charlotte through New York).
Yes, the Pistons had to eat Kemba Walker’s salary. But they could. Because of the Grant deal.
One move begat the next move — a constant flow of decisions.
Moving pieces around the ceiling.
But the trick is to get them to fit together.
Cunningham and Ivey pair together perfectly.
And Duren gives the Pistons toughness and athleticism.
The big lesson?
Never judge Weaver on one move.
You have to see a series of moves — all the pieces on the board — before you can see what he’s doing.
“Opportunity costs,” he said. “And we had, you know, the capital to make it happen.”
That’s the key to everything he has done.
He has acquired salary cap space and given himself flexibility to make things happen; and when he didn’t have it, he created it through other moves.
Best of all, he didn’t have to absorb a massive contract; and somehow, he walked away with two lottery picks.
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A strange feeling
This team is not a finished product.
It never is with Weaver.
The Pistons have holes. They need to improve 3-point shooting, and it’s going to be a priority in free agency.
“That will be a the top of our list,” he said on 97.1.
Will it all work? Will every decision be perfect?
No. No GM is perfect.
But Weaver’s moves are encouraging and refreshing.
Give Pistons owner Tom Gores credit. He hired the right guy and he gave him the perfect marching orders.
“He said, ‘Hey, I want you to be aggressive, and go for it,’” Weaver said.
That’s exactly what Weaver has been. He has been smart, aggressive, intuitive and fearless.
“You can’t see it because I’ve probably had six hours of sleep in the last 14 days,” Weaver said. “But I’m more excited than I’ve ever been.”
That makes all of us.
It feels so strange to be this excited about a team in Detroit.
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Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.