Detroit Pistons: Complete 2017 offseason grades

Trading for Avery Bradley

Shortly after renouncing Caldwell-Pope, the Pistons struck a deal for Avery Bradley. They sent Marcus Morris (two years, $10 million) to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the final year ($9 million) of the 26-year-old shooting guard’s contract.

The trade was a grand slam. Bradley is a better player than Caldwell-Pope on both ends of the floor, and is only two years older. He will be more affordable this season, and perhaps more worth paying next summer. Morris is on a good contract, but was redundant on Detroit’s roster, and is an inferior overall player to Bradley.

The move made so much sense, in fact, that it almost makes the previous head-scratchers appear planned.

The logic goes like this: Draft Kennard, a prototypical 2-guard, as insurance. Sign a sweet-shooting combo guard in Galloway as further insurance. Replace KCP with a better player at a cheaper price in Bradley. If Bradley walks, Kennard may be ready to step in next season.

We should not grade each move in this context. It is just as likely (if not more so) that the Pistons lucked into this chain of events than it is that they planned it out. However, the Bradley move deserves full marks for bringing this all together.

Grade: A+