The Detroit Pistons are among the teams linked to the last hot name entering the free agent market – the Toronto Raptors shooting at point guard Norman Powell. The shooter will be May 28 and is in the middle of his third consecutive season of really strong play.
With the Raptors squad decimated by injuries and health and safety concerns, Powell is finally getting started regularly and the rest of the NBA is taking notice.
Powell set his career record of 43 points against the Detroit Pistons a week ago, but the pair for the field in Toronto came in a defeat. The Raptors lost nine in a row, 11 of 12 and three of the last four Ls came at the hands of the Pistons, Cavs and Rockets. Yes, their season is over.
I watched HOU-TOR this morning. I would say that the Raptors are officially in the sad territory of the trombones.
Second play of the game. Good recovery. pic.twitter.com/ADvIF7A5qd
– John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) March 23, 2021
The former second-round player reached a career record of 43% in three and played so well that he must refuse his $ 11.6 million player option to earn money during the free agency.
Michael Grange, who covers the Raptors for Rogers Sportsnet, said recently that it is “almost inevitable” for the Raptors to profit from their pending free agent before losing him aimlessly in the off-season.
Jeff Fischer of the Bleacher Report reports that Dallas, Boston, Minnesota, Detroit and Atlanta were linked to Powell in commercial discussions. The cost would certainly be significant and would probably cost several new and future assets. That means it would almost be a failure for the Pistons, especially in a multi-team bidding war.
I wouldn’t be shocked if the Pistons rocked the potential of 20-year-old Sekou Doumbouya, with Toronto thinking that he might be able to build it on his player development machine. But it is not enough to close a deal. And that means Detroit has to give up a future asset (I’m sure next year’s choice is off the table).
Detroit has just begun its reconstruction, so the choices of the first round and its core of young players (Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, Saben Lee) are probably off the table.
Another quick thing to note – there are some teams looking to quit or lower the luxury tax (Lakers, Jazz, Philadelphia and Golden State), and the Detroit Pistons have a spot on the list and plenty of financial space after the purchase of Blake Griffin .
OKC’s former draft pick Terrance Ferguson is losing money in Philadelphia and earning $ 3.9 million. It could be an easy way for the Pistons to reclaim some of the capital from the second-round draft they lost in the flood of Weaver’s previous business. Something worth keeping an eye on.
What do you think of a potential Norman Powell trade? What would it look like to close the deal? The Pistons are in so many trade rumors because Troy Weaver is aggressive or because NBA agents know that Troy Weaver is aggressive, so can they launch him on any potential rumor and no one would think twice about his accuracy?