The Pistons aren't done making moves before Thursday's trade deadline. They can't be. After acquiring Kevin Huerter and Dario Saric from the Bulls on Tuesday in the trade that sent Jaden Ivey to Chicago, the Pistons are one player over the roster limit and still have to convert Daniss Jenkins' two-way contract into an NBA deal to make him eligible for the playoffs.
In other words, the Pistons have two roster spots to clear. That might set them up to make a bigger move before Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline. They continue to be linked to Michael Porter Jr. of the Nets.
The simplest, and likeliest, scenario is that the Pistons cut Saric and his $5 million expiring salary and another expendable roster player such as Isaac Jones. While Huerter's shooting numbers are down the past two seasons, he's a career 37.1 percent shooter from three who could help the Pistons where they need it the most.
In any deal for Porter Jr., the Pistons would have to clear out some contracts to make room for Porter's $38.3 million salary this season (and $40.8 million next season). But Detroit doesn't seem interested in moving either of the two players who would make the most sense from a salary-matching standpoint: Tobias Harris ($26.6 million on an expiring deal) and Caris LeVert ($14.1 million this season, $14.8 million next).
Harris is one of the leaders of a young locker room and a reliable shooter himself who J.B. Bickerstaff frequently calls "the Detroit Pistons' security blanket." He has started every game he's played this season. LeVert hasn't been all that productive off the bench for Detroit in the first year of a two-year, $28.9 million deal, but just returned from an extended absence due to vertigo and could be a key factor for the Pistons the rest of the way.
Bickerstaff said Tuesday that the Pistons plan to be "patient" with LeVert as he bounces back from his illness "so that we can build something for the long term. We expect Caris to be a big part of what we’re doing down the stretch. It’s important that we give him an opportunity and give him the right runway so that he can get there."
If the Pistons don't have any intention of trading Harris or LeVert, it simply might not be possible to make a trade for Porter Jr. work. Cutting Saric and Jones indeed might be their final two moves by the deadline. But if they're open to moving Harris, in particular, along with multiple first-round picks, the framework for a Porter Jr. trade could be in place. Trajan Langdon is likely more willing to trade picks than young players like Ron Holland II and Ausar Thompson who have become part of the Pistons' core.
Porter Jr. is having a breakout season in his first year in Brooklyn, averaging 25.5 points and shooting close to 40 percent from three -- his career average is 40.4 -- in 39 games. He's benefited from being the No. 1 option on a bad Nets team and he's not a great defender, but Porter Jr. could give the Pistons a legitimate No. 2 scorer next to Cade Cunningham, which could prove crucial in the playoffs.
He also has significant playoff experience, which could help offset the loss of a veteran like Harris. A supporting player for the Nuggets behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on their way to the 2023 NBA title, Porter Jr. has averaged 13.0 points across 75 career playoff games.