Brandon Jennings of the Detroit Pistons will be one of the highest anticipated trade targets this season, in part because of his expiring contract.
Detroit Pistons‘ point guard Brandon Jennings will be one of the hottest rentals on the trade market, and trade rumors are beginning to heat up. Jennings has not appeared in a game yet this season due to a torn left Achilles tendon suffered in January.
Prior to Jennings’ injury, he was playing the best basketball of his career. The Pistons were 9-4 during the month of January before his injury, which began in the middle of what ended up being a nine-game winning streak.
Jennings was a very big part of the Pistons’ success. During that stretch, Jennings was averaging 20.9 points and 7.2 assists per game. He shot 43.5 percent and had a +10.3 point differential.
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That alone could show that Jennings’ trade stock is going to be high. However, his injury has set him back. Since he tore his Achilles, the Pistons have acquired point guard Reggie Jackson. Not only has Jennings been watching his replacement, he’s been watching the future of the Pistons, as Jackson signed a five-year, $80 million contract extension in July.
“‘Two things are important to you, and that’s it. Get healthy, and get your value up,'” said Pistons’ owner Tom Gores in a meeting with Jennings, according to the Detroit Free Press’ Vince Ellis. “‘You do that, get healthy, it’s all going to work itself out. Don’t worry about all that stuff that’s going on.’ I think when you have an honest relationship, you can build on that. That’s what I would say to my own son.”
The New York Post’s Mark Berman reported that the New York Knicks could have interest in Jennings. The Knicks have 10 contracts eligible to be traded starting on Tuesday, the NBA’s first day of the season that contracts signed in free agency and players drafted are eligible to be traded.
Could guard-needy #Knicks make push to acquire Brandon Jennings? https://t.co/G8zqfaX52W pic.twitter.com/W2exaXguG8
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) December 14, 2015
A potential deal for Jennings could be built around former Pistons’ point guard Jose Calderon. Calderon, 34, has two years remaining on his contract, including this season. Berman reported that the Knicks could include rookie point guard Jerian Grant, who was the 19th overall pick in the 2015 Draft. But the Pistons may be better suited for one of the Knicks’ plethora of big men.
The Pistons could target forward Derrick Williams. Williams is shooting 40.7 percent from the floor and is averaging 7.0 points in 13.0 minutes per game. Williams is on a one-year deal and has a player option for the 2016-17 season.
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Kyle O’Quinn could also be an intriguing target. O’Quinn is averaging 5.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game this season. O’Quinn is on a less appealing four-year contract worth $16 million, including a player option during the 2018-19 season.
Either big man would allow the Pistons to upgrade their bench. Williams may be better suited for the Pistons due to his athleticism and ability to spread the floor, similarly to Ersan Ilyasova and Anthony Tolliver. However O’Quinn is a big body that could play power forward or center and be a rim protector.
The Pistons will have plenty of time to discuss trades involving Jennings. The important factor now is to continue to successfully rehab and get back on the court as expected.
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Jennings, 26, is targeting a comeback around Christmas time. Teams will likely want to see how he plays returning from his Achilles injury before pulling the trigger on a trade. However, there will be no shortage of interest leading up until he hits the court.