Hollinger today with Ivey going 4: 5. Detroit Pistons Keegan Murray | 6-8 sophomore | SF/PF | Iowa The Pistons would love to get their mitts on Ivey, and one wonders if a No. 5 for No. 4 trade could be part of the draft pick musical chairs on Thursday. I haven’t heard anyone talking about this, but swapping this pick, No. 46 and two future seconds to Sacramento for the fourth pick makes all kinds of sense for both teams. Each ends up with the guy they want, and the Kings get Murray at a lower salary; Sacramento’s leverage here is that it could trade down with another team and leave Detroit without Ivey. Even if Detroit stays put, there’s a decent chance Murray is the guy. The Pistons don’t seem that into Shaedon Sharpe and likely will have an opening for Murray by dealing Jerami Grant (more on that in a bit). If it isn’t Murray, the other name to watch here is Bennedict Mathurin, who has been quietly sneaking up draft boards.
Here is his "more on that" about Grant: If the Blazers are going that route, this brings us to my favorite fake three-way trade — Oklahoma City trading Lu Dort and the 12th pick to Portland for Nos. 7 and 36, Eric Bledsoe, Didi Louzada and Justise Winslow, followed by Portland trading 12 to Detroit for Grant.
I just can’t see how it’s worth it for us to move up. There isn’t a lot of separation in projection here and we don’t have a lot of assets
No, it doesn't make any sense when Ivey isn't a great fit for the roster and has some bust indicators, even if he has the most potential outside of the top 3.
I think I prefer Mathurin at 5. He's got the highest floor and still has some untapped potential. Cade, Mathurin and Bey should be a nice collection of shooters.
I don’t get the fit discussion. The team won 23 games last year. It’s way too early to worry about fit. You draft who you think is the best player.
If they think Ivey is clearly better than Mathurin I have no issue throwing them 3 2nds to move up 1 spot. If we trading stuff beyond that I start to question it
I think fit comes into play when the best player isn't a very good shooter and probably needs to play a lead guard role and the franchise drafted a better lead guard last year, so it makes it harder to maximize the best player's potential. Odds may be that Mathurin is a better player then Ivey playing next to Cade, because without the ball in his hands, Ivey is Hamadou Diallo. That's what fit means. And if the Pistons think Ivey fits and he's sitting there, go for it. Some people - Sam Vecenie for one - think Ivey fits perfectly next to Cade.
I want to see him trade a past 2nd rounder. Not the player, the actual pick. That's when I'll be impressed.
Things I want to see happen on Friday: 1. Get another pick in the 10-16 range. Preferably grant trade but through charlotte with Hayward makes sense too 2. AJ griffin at 5. This would mean they are very confident his athleticism is coming back (this doesn’t seem to be talked about so it doesn’t seem like it will come back 3. At 5 I know it’s a cop out but am comfortable with any of ivey mathirin Murray and sharpe. All have strength and weakness so it’s reasonable to pick one over another Ivey - positive- explosive athlete, can be secondary ball handler, theoretically use Cade playmaking to attack the basket negative - probably needs to handle the ball to maximize his athleticism, mediocre shooter and finisher overall- if we didn’t have Cade he would be top but now have him grouped with the rest Mathurin - movement shooter who will take advantage of Cade‘s gravity, should be lethal in transition, has size and athleticism to take the tougher defensive assignment negative- needs to improve handle and shot selection murray - can score at all three levels, super efficient offensive season, should be at least adequate on defense and rebounding negative- old, was very proficient in transition last year may not translate, average athleticism (although his vertical pop seems fine, should be a reasonable lob option) sharpe - has great size, shooting and athleticism negative- limited sampling second round - Patrick Baldwin - gamble on the size and shooting
Zach Harper 5. Are we certain Detroit and Indiana will take Ivey if he’s available? It’s difficult to sift through the smog of what to believe will happen in this top 10, but it sounds less and less likely that Ivey is the pick at No. 5. General manager Troy Weaver and the Detroit Pistons are being linked to the wings quite a bit. Murray is the wing/forward everybody wants to move up for. The Pistons would love for Murray to drop to them at No. 5, but if Murray is gone, where does that put the Pistons and the Indiana Pacers? Bennedict Mathurin sounds like the leader in the clubhouse for Detroit. He had a great workout there, and his stock has been climbing while more and more people feel unsure about Shaedon Sharpe — another wing in the mix here. Ivey could potentially be a great fit next to Cade Cunningham as primary playmakers (Ivey more as a scorer than the all-around approach of Cunningham), but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of steam there for the Pistons to take him. This could all be a smokescreen to keep teams from trading up with the Kings to try to get Ivey. Or this could be a sign that Mathurin really is the leader to be picked at No. 5.
2025 1st rd pick doesn't seem like an ideal return for Grant but guess it means Murray is heavily in play
Troy Avila. What a pathetic return. Pick 26 (in 3 years) at best? I guess you hope Giannis leaves? EDIT: Gianni’s’ deal through ‘26…wtf
I'd guess that means either 1. Here comes Murray or 2. Here comes Ayton and clearing cap space for him and Bagley return
It feels like Grant had less value than people were speculating. Still feels like we could have done better though.
I mean...it was pretty absurd to think he would fetch a top ten pick...but, agree that this still underwhelms.
2 seems a lot more likely considering the timing. If you want to open a spot for Murray, wouldn't you do that on draft night once you know the Kings aren't taking him? I'm going to tell myself we're packaging this pick, 5, and some seconds to move up and get Ivey.
It still feels like we aren’t considered favorites for any of these big time FA, so maybe we are looking to make a bigger trade?
Stein had a thing the other day mentioning Atlanta wanting him. There was another team he mentioned too.
The upside to this deal is I don’t have to watch Cade have 6 points at the half because Grant was 3 of 12 from the field.
Grant was pretty overrated, but that is a weak ass return. Basically a late first rounder, that’s the type of return you can talk yourself being into at the trade deadline, but not before the season. of course Jimmy Edwards probably loves it. Troy weavers jock sniffer.
To be honest, nothing against Grant, but I hated watching him last year with Cade and may or may not have called him an offensive black hole a few times on here. So I guess I'm still ok with it, but really underwhelming. I guess at least we didn't trade back 20 spots to move him
I think they make a run at Ayton and maybe Brunson, if they whiff on both I could see them being involved in a multi team trade or two to get something to take on a contract
I hope we trade that high second for Plumlee and then trade Plumlee for a future 2031 second to really get the thread alive again.
If we come out of this draft with Keegan Murray and Ochai Agbaji and sometimes Gordon Heyward I’ll be very happy so let’s do this
If they sent back Olynk and one of Diallo/Joseph, both teams would still have enough cap space left for a max contract. Probably a huge long shot but trying to wrap my head around this one.
Definitely doesn't seem like Troy maximed value for Grant, but maybe that's what Grant is worth to the NBA.