NBA: 3 teams that should pursue a trade for Victor Oladipo
By Dalton Sell
Detroit Pistons
After losing in the first round of the NBA playoffs last season as the eight-seed, the Detroit Pistons seemed to be in a fantastic position to succeed heading into this season. Aside from getting back a healthy Blake Griffin back to pair with Andre Drummond, the team added former league MVP Derrick Rose and formed an intriguing Big 3 that seemingly had the potential to make some noise.
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However, the team under-performed and finished in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. Rose and Griffin spent a majority of the year injured, and Drummond was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline to unload his salary.
Right now, it appears there is not much upside with the Pistons in the near future, but a trade for Oladipo has the potential to change that. The shooting guard was a weak line for the team last season, and a spot they could use a significant upgrade at.
Sharpshooter Luke Kennard spent a majority of last season having battled with bilateral knee tendinitis, and sidelined him for a significant time. With Kennard out, the team’s shooting guard depth was lackluster, and a guy like Oladipo could fix that.
With Rose having had his best season statistically since he won the Most Valuable Player in 2011, pairing him with Oladipo could form a lethal backcourt in the Eastern Conference. Add Blake Griffin into the equation, and if healthy, this Big 3 may not be title contenders, but stand a significantly better chance in the Eastern Conference.