The Detroit Pistons are one of the popular picks among executives to trade up in the NBA draft for LaMelo Ball. Should they do it?
We’re just over a week away from the NBA draft, and even closer to teams being allowed to make trades. It seems like the season just ended, but we’re about to kick things back into gear and rumor has it that the Detroit Pistons have their eyes set on the No. 1 overall draft pick and LaMelo Ball.
According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the Pistons are a popular pick among league executives to make a big move (Insiders paywall):
"Some popular picks among executives to make such a move for Ball at No. 1 include the Chicago Bulls (currently holding the No. 4 pick), Detroit Pistons (No. 7) and Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 25, plus a stash of future firsts)."
Ball would be an intriguing addition to the Pistons’ puzzle. He would provide young star-power to a degree that the franchise hasn’t had in… well, we’re going to have to go back a long time to find an exciting top draft pick.
He has the ability to make his teammates better, or at least showed that potential in flashes when he played professionally in Australia. The NBA is a different beast, but youth and talent remain a powerful combination in this league.
The Pistons are also a team bereft of talented lead ball-handlers, and that’s something LaMelo Ball could provide right off the bat for them. Of course, Ball has plenty of weaknesses, but potential overwhelms all of them when looking at this NBA draft class in particular.
So, of course, the Pistons would like to draft LaMelo Ball. The question is: What’s the price?
Certainly, they would have to send the Minnesota Timberwolves their own first-round pick at No. 7, and likely a future unprotected or lightly-protected first-round pick. They will also need to send young talent of their own to the Timberwolves, probably in the form of Luke Kennard.
Such a deal might look something like this:
This is ultimately a steep price to pay for a player who may have a ceiling that approaches, say, D’Angelo Russell. Do the Detroit Pistons really want to trade away multiple first-round draft picks while they look to rebuild from a decade-long existence in the wilderness?
In essence, this trade (or anything like it that sacrifices multiple first-round picks) presupposes that LaMelo Ball will be the most important piece of their rebuild. Unfortunately, if Ball is the best chip they get while trying to return to relevance, the journey will not be a fruitful one.
LaMelo Ball certainly has a place in the NBA, and he will probably be a pretty good player. But he’s not a franchise-altering talent, and giving up this kind of haul for him would require that kind of upside.
Ball is good, but he’s not good enough for this kind of exchange. If this is the cost of doing business, the Detroit Pistons should pass on the transaction.