Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pistons Convert Dwight Buycks To NBA Contract

January 12th, 2018 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons are converting the contract of guard Dwight Buycks from a two-way pact to a standard NBA deal, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. The team had an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move will be required to create room for Buycks.

Buycks, 28, had been on a two-way deal with the Pistons all season but only saw his first NBA action recently, with Reggie Jackson sidelined. Buycks has served as Ish Smith‘s primary backup at the point over the last couple weeks. In his last six games, the veteran guard has posted 11.7 PPG, 3.2 APG, and a .509/.462/.833 shooting line in 19.5 MPG for Detroit.

Assuming the Pistons simply convert Buycks’ two-way deal, rather than signing him to an all-new contract, he’ll remain on track to reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018. Ian Begley of ESPN.com wrote yesterday that Buycks’ play has impressed rival executives, adding that several execs view him as a player who will draw major interest this offseason from teams lacking significant cap flexibility.

With Buycks no longer on a two-way deal, the Pistons will open up one of their two-way slots. They’ll have until Monday to sign a new player to fill that opening.

Pistons Discuss Stanley Johnson in Trade Talks

January 12th, 2018 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

As the Pistons explore the trade market in search of potential upgrades, Stanley Johnson‘s name has come up in their discussions, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.com. According to Begley, teams that have spoken to the Pistons have come away with the impression that Johnson is available for the right return.

Johnson, the eighth overall pick in the 2015 draft, had a promising rookie season in Detroit, averaging 8.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 73 games. He has been inconsistent over the last season and a half though — the third-year small forward hasn’t matched or exceeded those first-year averages, and his FG% has slipped to a career-worst .348 in 2017/18.

Still, Johnson is just 21 years old, and his defensive potential on the wing could make him an intriguing target for rebuilding franchises. The former Arizona Wildcat is also on a very team-friendly contract for the time being. Johnson, who has a current-year cap hit of $3.1MM, will earn $3.94MM in 2018/19 before becoming eligible for restricted free agency in the summer of ’19.

We heard earlier this week that rookie guard Luke Kennard is receiving interest from potential Pistons trade partners as well, so Johnson isn’t the only youngster the team could consider moving. However, Begley writes that Detroit doesn’t appear to have much interest in dealing its 2017 lottery pick. Unless the Pistons push for a marquee player, I’d view Johnson as a much more likely trade candidate than Kennard.

According to Begley, guard Dwight Buycks has also impressed opposing executives. Buycks is on a two-way contract though, so while he’s trade-eligible, his present value is very limited. Begley notes that several execs view Buycks as a player who will draw major interest as a free agent this summer from teams lacking significant cap flexibility.

Luke Kennard Drawing Trade Interest

January 11th, 2018 at 9:55am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons rookie Luke Kennard is drawing “intense” interest from other NBA teams as this season’s trade deadline nears, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). As Ellis notes, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had previously hinted in a report this week that Kennard is a player of interest for Detroit’s potential trade partners.

In a series of follow-up tweets, Ellis cautioned that there’s no indication that the Pistons are shopping Kennard, or even that they’re willing to move him. In fact, Ellis doesn’t expect the 2017 lottery pick to go anywhere.

Still, Wojnarowski indicated this week that the Pistons are expected to be on the active on the trade market, and are on the lookout for a wing upgrade. President of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy subsequently confirmed that his team is “looking around for people to fill holes.” The list of Pistons trade assets that would appeal to other clubs – and that Detroit is open to moving – isn’t particularly long, so dealing Kennard might represent the team’s best chance at acquiring a win-now piece.

In his first NBA season, Kennard has emerged as a regular rotation player in Detroit. While his overall numbers are modest (6.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG), the former Duke standout has been extremely effective as an outside shooter (.443 3PT%) and several of his highest-scoring games have come in the last two weeks. In order to seriously consider moving the 21-year-old, the Pistons would likely require an offer that features a difference-making veteran.

Johnson Not Playing Enough To Justify Being Eighth Pick

January 10th, 2018 at 8:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks are expecting to have Jabari Parker back before the All-Star break, according to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Coach Jason Kidd was optimistic tonight in his assessment of Parker, who hasn’t played this season because of a torn left ACL.

“He’s doing great,” Kidd said. “Again, he’s doing everything; he’s practicing, he’s participating with the [G League Wisconsin] Herd. So, he’s getting a lot of basketball under his belt. Again, I think we’re about a month away from having him back.”

Parker is still recovering after suffering the injury last February. At the time, he was projected to be sidelined for about a year, and it looks like that prognosis will be accurate. Parker has shown flashes of brilliance in his three-year career, but has been limited by injuries. He averaged 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 25 games last season.

There’s more tonight from the Central Division:

The Bucks did Joel Bolomboy a favor by giving him a full NBA contract before waiving him Saturday, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. The second-year forward was on a two-way deal with Milwaukee and had a limited number of NBA days remaining. The Bucks tried to help out Bolomboy by ensuring that he wouldn’t be claimed off waivers on that two-way deal, since his days of NBA service wouldn’t reset in that scenario. Bolomboy cleared waivers Tuesday and is now a free agent.
Bulls guard Zach LaVine will be on a minutes restriction when he makes his season debut Saturday, but coach Fred Hoiberg hasn’t decided whether to use him as a starter, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. LaVine may be used on both the starting and reserve units as his playing time increases, and Hoiberg plans to work him into the point guard rotation. “He’s got to be ready to play with both groups,” the coach said. “There may be stretches where we play Zach with the ball in his hands, and again, we’ll get that all figured out the next couple days.’’
Pistons forward Stanley Johnson needs more playing time to prove he was worthy of being the eighth pick in the 2015 draft, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Johnson has been impressive defensively, but hasn’t played enough to work out his issues on offense as he is shooting just 35% from the field.

Central Notes: Terry, Dinwiddie, Pistons, Bolomboy

January 10th, 2018 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

At 40 years old, Bucks guard Jason Terry is the NBA’s third-oldest player behind Vince Carter and Manu Ginobili. However, like Carter and former teammate Dirk Nowitzki, Terry wants to play at least 20 NBA seasons, which would mean continuing his career for one more year beyond 2017/18.

“Oh, yeah, I’m going to keep playing,” Terry said recently, per Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times. “Next season would be No. 20. I want to play 20 years. That’s the goal I set for myself. I’m a very goal-oriented guy and I’m going to make sure that happens.”

Terry’s desire to hit the two-decade mark in his NBA career is nothing new — he expressed the same sentiment last February. Still, it remains to be seen whether he’ll receive an NBA contract in 2018/19. This season in Milwaukee, Terry is playing less than ever, averaging just 1.3 PPG on 32.0% shooting in 15 games (9.7 MPG). Those numbers are all career worsts by a large margin.

Despite his extremely limited role, Terry has still received rave reviews from many of his younger Bucks teammates, with Rashad Vaughn telling Woelfel that the veteran guard has “helped me a lot,” while Thon Maker says Terry’s presence is like having another coach on the bench. “He’s a true professional in terms of letting us young guys know what we need to do to continue playing in this league,” Maker said. “He’ll talk to us whenever we need help.”

Here’s more from around the Central division:

Spencer Dinwiddie is having a breakout season in Brooklyn, but Stan Van Gundy, the Pistons‘ president of basketball operations, isn’t ready to concede that his front office made a mistake by letting Dinwiddie go, suggesting that the young guard isn’t the same player he was when Detroit traded him in 2016. “I’m not saying we didn’t make a mistake, but it’s not simple,” Van Gundy said, per Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. “I don’t know or not. I just know he’s playing well and I’m happy for him.”
With trade rumors swirling around the Pistons, Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes that the club’s ability to earn a playoff spot and make some noise in the postseason may hinge on its ability to bolster the roster before the trade deadline.
Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days digs up a rule that helps explain why the Bucks‘ G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, will have first dibs on Joel Bolomboy if and when he returns to the G League.

Pistons Notes: Van Gundy, Jackson, Leuer, Moreland

January 9th, 2018 at 1:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy addressed trade rumors surrounding his team during a session with reporters today. Detroit is among several teams linked to Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic as the Pistons try to remain in the playoff race with a roster weakened by injuries.

“We have a roster spot available and there’s people calling,” Van Gundy said in comments tweeted by Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “We’re just seeing if there’s anything that makes sense for us. When you’re down a starting point guard, there’s not a lot of people shopping their starting point guard to you.” (Twitter link).

Reggie Jackson is out until at least the All-Star break with a sprained right ankle. Forward Jon Leuer hasn’t played since October 31 because of a sprained left ankle and may be headed for surgery. After a fast start, the Pistons have fallen into a sixth-place tie in the East at 21-18 and are barely holding on to a playoff spot.

“We’ve got [Leuer] down and [Jackson] down,” Van Gundy added. “There’s a lot of need and we’re looking around. We don’t have anything going on right now, but we’re looking around for people to fill holes.”

There’s more today out of Detroit:

The Pistons have plenty of options to target before the February 8 deadline, writes Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. He lists Orlando’s Evan Fournier, Brooklyn’s Joe Harris, Miami’s Wayne Ellington, Dallas’ Wesley Matthews and Atlanta’s Kent Bazemore as players to watch.
Pistons center Eric Moreland has a bit of security for the first time in his career, notes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Moreland had his $1,739,333 contract guaranteed this week, providing him with some stability after four years of trying to earn a steady NBA job. Moreland went undrafted out of Oregon State in 2014 and signed with the Kings, but played just 11 games at the NBA level in two seasons. He signed a partially guaranteed three-year deal with the Pistons over the offseason, but says he hasn’t been focused on this week’s guarantee deadline. “I play the same way, money or no money,” he said. “I don’t even play basketball for money. I just want to go out there and keep learning. This is my first year playing. I can’t get involved in that. That’s just not my mentality. I’m not trying to survive like that.”

Pistons, Blazers Also Interested In Mirotic

January 9th, 2018 at 12:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Earlier today, we noted the Jazz were talking to the Bulls about a possible trade involving Nikola Mirotic, but it appears Utah will have some competition. The Pistons have also expressed interest in Mirotic, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times, and the Trail Blazers could get involved as well, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).

Chicago is hoping to get a first-round pick in exchange for Mirotic, Johnson adds. Utah, Detroit and Portland all have first-rounders to offer this year, with our latest Reverse Standings showing the Jazz at No. 11 and the Pistons and Blazers involved in a three-way tie for No. 18.

The Bulls are motivated to move Mirotic because he’ll be seeking a big payday when his current contract ends, Johnson explains (Twitter link). Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn will be free agents in 2018 and 2020 respectively, and the organization doesn’t want to give big deals to all three. The performance of rookie forward Lauri Markkanen also makes Mirotic expendable.

Mirotic is off to a career best start this season, averaging 17.4 points through 17 games and shooting 47% from 3-point range. He is making $12.5MM this year and has a team option for the same amount in 2018/19.

Mirotic, who doesn’t become eligible for a trade until Monday, has a no-trade clause, but has expressed a willingness to waive it to join a contender. The Bulls could eliminate that clause by picking up his option for next season before trading him.

Zach LaVine To Make Bulls Debut On Saturday

January 9th, 2018 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Zach LaVine, one of the pieces acquired by the Bulls in last summer’s Jimmy Butler blockbuster, will make his long-awaited debut for his new team this Saturday against the Pistons, executive VP John Paxson confirmed today (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune).

According to Paxson, the Bulls plan to take a “conservative” approach with LaVine for the next few weeks. That means he’ll start out playing approximately 20 minutes per game, and won’t appear in back-to-back games before the All-Star break (Twitter link via Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago).

Paxson told reporters today that LaVine had badly wanted to get back on the court Wednesday night in New York against the Knicks. However, the Bulls wanted to make sure he had a few more practices under his belt before he makes his return from an ACL injury that has sidelined him since last February (Twitter link via ESPN’s Nick Friedell).

LaVine was sent from Minnesota to Chicago back in June, along with Kris Dunn and No. 7 overall pick Lauri Markkanen, in exchange for Butler and No. 16 pick Justin Patton. While the Bulls’ return for Butler was panned at the time, both Dunn and Markkanen have displayed real promise in the first half of this season. If LaVine can approximate or improve upon his 2016/17 performance (18.9 PPG on .459/.387/.836 shooting), the Bulls will have three legitimate, long-term building blocks on their hands as a result of that trade.

LaVine, who turns 23 in March, will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, but the Bulls are expected to re-sign him or match any offer sheet he receives.

Woj’s Latest: Pistons, Fournier, Lakers, Hawks

January 8th, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Shooting guards and small forwards are in high demand as the trade deadline approaches, and there simply aren’t that many quality wings expected to be available, Adrian Wojnarowski writes in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Wojnarowski details, the Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are just a few of the many teams looking for upgrades on the wing.

DeMarre Carroll (Nets), Alec Burks (Jazz), Kent Bazemore (Hawks), and Evan Fournier (Magic) are among the veterans attracting some interest on the trade market, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that the Pistons pursued a deal for Fournier. Such a trade would be hard to pull off without including Reggie Jackson‘s contract, so nothing’s imminent at this point, but the Pistons continue to be aggressive on the trade market, a reflection of Stan Van Gundy‘s desire to win now, says Wojnarowski.

As for the Pelicans, they also remain active in trade talks despite their limited assets, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have negative value and won’t be movable without New Orleans attaching a draft pick or two. If the Pelicans can’t trade for a wing, they’ll have to count on getting Solomon Hill back healthy for the home stretch of the season.

Here’s more from Woj:

The Lakers have “made it clear” that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are available in trades, reports Wojnarowski. The club had been planning on waiting until after the season to try to move Clarkson, but there may be a mutual desire to get something done on that front sooner rather than later.
Bazemore, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli are expendable in Atlanta, where the Hawks are focused on unloading veterans and stockpiling more young players and draft picks, per Wojnarowski.
The Bulls still plan to trade Nikola Mirotic after January 15, assuming he OK’s a deal. According to Wojnarowski, Mirotic is somewhat intrigued by the Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder, who has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
It’s possible their outlooks could change by the trade deadline, but the Thunder and Pelicans currently have no plans to trade Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins, respectively. Both players can become unrestricted free agents this July.
We passed along more rumors from Woj in full stories earlier today, providing the latest on DeAndre Jordan and examining the Grizzlies‘ asking price for Tyreke Evans.

Eric Moreland’s Contract To Be Guaranteed

January 6th, 2018 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pistons will guarantee the contract of Eric Moreland for the rest of the season, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.

The third-year power forward signed a three-year deal with Detroit in July, but none of the seasons is fully guaranteed. He has a $1,739,333 salary for this season with a $750K guarantee that kicked in opening night and a $1MM guarantee through Wednesday, which is when all NBA contracts become fully guaranteed for the rest of the season.

The 26-year-old played 11 combined games during his first two seasons with the Kings, spending most of his time in the G League. He was waived by the Cavaliers before the start of last season and spent the year with Cleveland’s G League affiliate.

Moreland has appeared in 33 games for the Pistons and is averaging 1.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 11.3 minutes of action. He made his first career start tonight.