NBA Trade Rumors: Detroit Pistons Trading Brandon Jennings To Brooklyn Nets

NBA trade rumors are saying that Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy is trying to send Brandon Jennings to the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN. Jennings becomes a free agent after the season ends, and the Pistons already have Reggie Jackson firmly entranced as the starting point guard. In return, the Nets would send over veteran power forward Thaddeus Young.

The Brooklyn Nets are in dire need of star power and an upgrade at the point guard position. Currently, they have David Sloan, Shane Larkin, and Jarrett Jack in their rotation, and that doesn’t exactly cause opposing NBA coaches to lose sleep at nights. Jack tore his ACL and recently had successful surgery, but he is not expected to be back until the start of next season, so the team can’t exactly rely on that alone.

Brandon Jennings believes wholeheartedly that he can still be a starter in the NBA. The Virginia native is just 26, and he has averaged 16.1 points, 6 assists and 1.3 steals throughout his career. Those numbers are worthy of a starting position in the National Basketball Association, and Jennings still feels that he can grow his game over the coming years if he is given the minutes required on the court.

Stan Van Gundy likes Brandon Jennings. He has repeatedly told the media that he would love to sign him to a contract extension after the season ends. Van Gundy believes that there is a place on the Detroit Pistons roster for someone as talented as Jennings. However, Van Gundy also knows that if an opportunity arises to improve the team, then he will need to at least do his due diligence when NBA general managers contact him about the availability of Jennings.

The point guard position for the Detroit Pistons is pretty stacked. Reggie Jackson is blossoming into one of the better players in the NBA, so it is going to be hard for anyone to commandeer the starting position from the 25-year-old. If Stan Van Gundy finds a good deal for Brandon Jennings, then he can always turn to Steve Blake, an extremely reliable and intelligent veteran, to be the backup to Jackson.

Thaddeus Young would provide an upgrade at the power forward position for the Detroit Pistons. He is a better player than current starter Ersan Ilyasoya, a player who might be better suited to be a role player off the bench. Young can provide solid outside shooting, superb rebounding, and a strong willingness to play defense, which seems like a very good fit with Pistons starting center Andre Drummond, an All-Star reserve this season.

If Brandon Jennings were traded to the Brooklyn Nets, then he would immediately take over as the starting point guard. Donald Sloan would shift into the backup role. Since Brook Lopez is the only consistent and reliable scoring threat for the Nets, Jennings might even become their first option on offense, especially considering that Joe Johnson is well past his prime and is looking towards leaving via free agency in order to sign with a contending NBA team.

Since the Brooklyn Nets gambled on Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett being able to help them win an NBA Championship, the Boston Celtics are now in possession of their first round draft pick this summer. That means that free agency and trades are going to be the only way for the Nets to have an infusion of talent, something that they really need. Brooklyn needs a whole lot of talent to become a respectable NBA franchise again, and it could start with Brandon Jennings.