The Detroit Pistons made its big move of NBA Trade Deadline day by sending Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to the New York Knicks in exchange for Quentin Grimes, two second-round picks and salary filler. Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the full scope of the deal between the two teams.
Before we get into the meat of the trade, let’s talk about what the Pistons are adding briefly. They get some additional draft compensation, but, pointedly, they failed to secure a return of the return of the first-round pick they owe New York as part of the Isaiah Stewart draft day trade years ago. What they get instead is a terrific defensive guard in Grimes who could have a long-term future in Detroit as well as some additional draft capital to use in future trades (it seems to be all second-rounders are good for these days).
What are the Pistons losing? A huge source of their offense. Bojan Bogdanovic was their most reliable scorer, and Alec Burks was often lightning in a bottle off the bench. Burks was also a steadying presence both on the floor and in the locker room.
The moves the Pistons have made thus far add some two-way players who are less dynamic as offensive threats, but should also greatly improve the team’s defensive potential. In Grimes and the team’s previous deals for both Simone Fontecchio and even Troy Brown Jr, the Pistons are adding players you can still trust to stretch the floor and hit open shots. But you can’t really put the ball in their hands and ask them to create. For the Pistons, that’s probably for the best. This team should have the ball in Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey’s hands nearly every possession with little assists from Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and Marcus Sasser.
Those are all young players, and this team will still be bad, but those are your best playermakers. They also need help on the defensive side of the ball.
Grimes is one of the best young perimeter defensive players in the league. The Pistons should easily be able to ask him to guard the other team’s best perimeter player and be happy with the result. Fontecchio, too, is a much better defender than Bojan Bogdanovic, and should help limit the clear path so many opponents have had to the rim this season.
Full Pistons-Knicks Trade Details
The full trade looks like this:
The Pistons receive:
- Quentin Grimes
- Evan Fournier
- Malachi Flynn
- Fyan Arcidiacono
- Two future second-round picks
The Knicks receive:
- Bojan Bogdanovic
- Alec Burks
What Happens Next
If you’ve been keeping up with the flurry of moves the Detroit Pistons have made, one thing is abundantly clear— they have way too many players.
The current roster limit is 15 and with this four-for-two swap with the Knicks and the two-for-one swap with the Wovles for Monte Morris, and the one-for-nothing deal with the Sixers for Danuel House, the Pistons current roster stands at 19.
Other moves need to be made, whether they are additional trades — though Detroit’s cupboard is drying up — or the Pistons start releasing players. Candidates for release would include veteran Joe Harris, and younger players Killian Hayes and James Wiseman.
There is a chance the Pistons could swing one more bigger move — there is interest in big man Isaiah Stewart throughout the league — but that feels unlikely at the moment.