Pistons trade rumors could include offers for Andre Drummond, per report

The struggling Detroit Pistons are becoming slightly more open to the idea of trading Andre Drummond, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein. Stein reports that other teams have the impression that the Pistons are at least willing to pick up the phone to consider deals for the big man they signed to a maximum contract last summer.

Detroit pursued a DeMarcus Cousins trade with Drummond involved earlier this season, but the Kings balked, according to Basketball Insiders’ Michael Scotto. It’s unclear how serious those talks got or if other players were involved. ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that the Pistons quietly canvassed the league to find Drummond’s value, but any trade would be a “shocker.”

Still, the fact that the rumors are even surfacing illustrates Detroit’s changing attitude towards Drummond. Two years ago, owner Tom Gores emphatically said Drummond was a “maximum guy.” But Drummond has failed to make significant progress since then, as his numbers have plateaued and his defensive impact has waned.

Would the Pistons really trade their 24-year-old center?

Detroit is at a crossroads after a disappointing first half of the season. The Pistons were expected to compete for home-court advantage in the East, but are instead just 27-30 and in eighth place. After a decent start, they have struggled since Reggie Jackson returned to the lineup.

Lowe’s story paints the picture of a coaching staff frustrated with Drummond’s lack of development, particularly defensively. Stan Van Gundy, the Pistons’ head coach and lead front-office decision-maker, admitted that “sometimes, [Drummond] is more willing to hear hard coaching than others.”

Not only are the Pistons struggling, but they are locked into their core if they sign restricted free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a big free-agent contract this summer. If the mix isn’t working, it may be better to move on now while Drummond’s value is highest. At 24, Drummond is beginning his prime and may not have much more upside.

Because they just signed him to a maximum contract extension last summer. Even if Drummond hasn’t improved as expected, it’s far too early to turn back on that investment.

Detroit has problems that extend beyond Drummond. Jackson has been awful since returning from injury, and other young players on the roster have also failed to develop. It would be a mistake to assume that Drummond is the root of all those issues. A better strategy would be to seek a trade involving Jackson and attempt to retool the roster to better fit Drummond’s skill set.

There’s also the matter of a potential return in a deal involving Drummond. Detroit was “disappointed” about the market for Drummond when they explored his value earlier this season, according to Lowe. It’s hard to believe that the offers have improved since then.

This sounds more like setting the stage for a future trade if the Pistons and Drummond do not improve. Now is not the best time for the Pistons to receive comparable value in return.