Houston Rockets Potential Trade Partners

Mar 12, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Pistons forward

(6) and forward/center

(10) question a call by an official during the second half against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Detroit 101-87. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons are in interesting team on this list.  Most people around the NBA cannot understand how this team missed the playoffs last year.  They appear to have one of the best front court trios in the league in Josh Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.  Yet this team finished 29-53 during the 2013-14 season, 9 games out of a playoff spot in the much less difficult Eastern Conference.

In the offseason the Piston changed coaches to the well expected Stan Van Gundy and brought in a few shooters Jodie Meeks and Caron Butler.  Combined with the hope that 2nd year player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would improve, many expected this team once again would be in the playoff conversation in the Eastern Conference.  Yet here they are off to another rough start again at 3-9.

There appears to be a few reasons this team seems to be underachieving.  One reason is they likely need a better facilitator at the point guard position instead the scorer that they have in Brandon Jennings.  And they do not have an above average defender at the 1, 2 or 3.

Nov 7, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith (6) during the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit won 98-95. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

The Pistons have overlap at the 4 with Josh Smith and Greg Monroe.  Josh Smith is not a 3 and asking him to play the 3 for this team has been a disastrous fit.  At the 3, Smith apparently cannot stop himself from taking way too many 3-pointers where he was an atrocious 26.4% last year, a season where he somehow found it necessary to jack up 265 3-point shots. This year, the percentage has not improved, in fact it’s gotten worse, but he has managed to cut the attempts in half.

Smith is a unique player in that he is a 4 whose strength is his athleticism in the open floor.  He is not a classic power forward bruiser, nor is he a stretch 4.  But at the 4 his athleticism can be too much for most 4’s to handle and gives him an advantage in matchups.

This past offseason the Pistons had a difficult decision as Greg Monroe was a restricted free agent.  There was already concern with the fit on the same team with Josh Smith so the Pistons declined to give Monroe the max deal he was seeking and he instead chose to sign the one year tender offer which will make him an unrestricted free agent next year.

The results thus far have been about the same so the choices for the Pistons are likely to trade Josh Smith and give Greg Monroe the big contract he’s seeking, or trade Monroe before they lose him for nothing in return.  If I’m the Rockets, I’m not interested in Josh Smith, questions about his attitude and ability to fit have never been answered on a good team, too much risk and too much at stake.

I am much more interested in Greg Monroe.  Monroe would not only upgrade the Rockets at the 4 but would also slide over to the 5 when Dwight Howard rests or misses a game or two with minor injuries.  Monroe is 6’11, 255, and is a decent defender in the paint, has a solid mid-range shot that has been improving and some of the best hands in the league among big men, making him an excellent passer and as a result could be very effective in the high post.

The Rockets could use him in much the way as they would have used Chris Bosh had they been successful in signing him with some high post play or in pick and pop plays with James Harden. With Monroe also able to play center, he would also shore up what has thus far been the biggest issue for the Rockets.  The Pistons should clearly be on the Rockets radar for a potential deal.