Detroit Pistons Acquire Marcus Morris, Danny Granger, Reggie Bullock

By Michael Manning | Jul 3, 2015

Dec 6, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Marcus Morris (15) reacts after a play during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Detroit Pistons will acquire Marcus Morris, Danny Granger and Reggie Bullock from the Phoenix Suns for a 2020 second-round pick. The Suns are using this trade to clear cap space for free-agent forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

The Pistons exploited the Suns’ need for cap space to acquire two young forwards (Bullock and Morris) and a aging former All-Star, Granger, for just a second-round pick.

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Granger, who was an All-Star in 2009, has been bitten by the injury bug in each of the past two seasons as he has played in just 71 combined games. However, Granger has shown that he is capable of turning back in the clock on occasion, as he lit up the Magic and Grizzles last season for 18 and 21 points, respectively.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Granger mentor rookie Stanley Johnson while playing a role off the bench for Stan Van Gundy.

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The two major prizes in the trade were Bullock and Morris. Marcus Morris, who is not to be confused with his twin brother Markieff, averaged a career high 10.4 points per game last year with the Suns. Morris is a capable 3-point shooter and has a 36 percent career average from behind the arc. Morris is extremely versatile and can play both the small forward and power forward positions.

He may start at small forward while Johnson comes off the bench or he may compete with Ersan Ilyasova for the starting power forward spot. Where Morris really struggles is on defense. He was 10th on the Suns in defensive plus/minus.

Morris’ game will surely benefit from playing next to a player such as Andre Drummond, whose defensive game helps cover up other players defensive mistakes.

Bullock has yet to earn consistent minutes in the NBA but has potential to develop into 3-and-D guy at the NBA level. He showed a decent 3-point stroke in 2014-15 as he shot 33 percent from behind the arc. This is up from just 30 percent from the 2013-14 season and as he develops there is reason to think that his percentages will take another step forward in 2015-16.

In college he was he was a capable defender, second on his team in defensive win shares, and there isn’t a reason why his defensive game won’t translate to the NBA. The 3-and-D guy is becoming more and more valuable at the NBA level (see Danny Green and DeMarre Carroll) and the Pistons may have just gotten one for cheap.

In exchange for a second-round pick years down the road, it looks like the Pistons picked up some useful pieces.

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