NBA Trade Grades: Bulls sending Jameer Nelson to Pistons

The Chicago Bulls will send Jameer Nelson to the Detroit Pistons for backup big Willie Reed. Here are NBA Trade Grades for both sides.

With the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline less than four hours away, all was quiet on the trade front. In a tight market, it was always unlikely the league would see any major blockbuster deals go down, but the floodgates have finally opened — a crack, at least — with a minor swap to get things started.

As first reported by Yahoo! Sports‘ Shams Charania, the Chicago Bulls have agreed to send backup point guard Jameer Nelson to the Detroit Pistons for reserve center Willie Reed.

The 35-year-old Nelson was recently acquired by the Bulls in their Nikola Mirotic trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. It was thought Chicago might keep him on as a veteran mentor for its younger point guards in Kris Dunn and Jerian Grant, but apparently more important that won’t be happening.

According to the NBC Sports Chicago‘s Vincent Goodwill, the Bulls will immediately waive Reed. As Charania later reported, Chicago will also have the right to swap second round picks in 2022 as part of the deal.

As for Reed, the Pistons had little need for a backup big who was recently suspended six games for a domestic violence incident back in August. Reed, who was brought to the Motor City as part of the Blake Griffin trade, now heads to the waiver wire after playing just three games for the Pistons. Detroit, meanwhile, will finally get some much-needed help at the 1-spot with Nelson.

This move won’t alter the NBA landscape by any means, but how did each team fare in this exchange? To sort it out, here are NBA Trade Grades for both sides.