The Detroit Pistons have managed to return to the Eastern Conference Playoffs in the 2018-19 NBA season, but the outcome of their first-round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks showed that they still need more star power to become a legitimate title contender in the league. In order to make a deep playoff run and have a better chance of beating powerhouse teams in the NBA, the Pistons should prioritize adding a superstar who is capable of taking over in crucial situations.
According to Matt Levin of Fansided’s Wiz Of Awes , one of the NBA superstars that the Pistons could target in the 2019 NBA offseason is Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards. Beal still hasn’t shown any sign that he already wants out of Washington, but things are expected to dramatically change when he and the Wizards fail to reach an agreement regarding a contract extension this summer.
Once Bradley Beal becomes officially available on the trading block, the Pistons should immediately make a call to the Wizards. In the proposed trade deal, Fansided’s Wiz Of Awes suggested that the Pistons could send a trade package including Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Sekou Doumbouya, 2020, 2022, and 2024 first-round picks, and the right to pick swap in 2023 to the Wizards in exchange for Bradley Beal. The deal works on ESPN ‘s NBA Trade Machine.
Bradley Beal to receive full max offer from Wizards “at the very first moment allowed,” per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/6XApOlhkd7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 22, 2019
The potential acquisition of Bradley Beal won’t instantly make the Pistons the No. 1 favorite to win the NBA championship title, but it would give them a realistic path to the NBA Finals. Beal is All-Star caliber talent who knows how to efficiently play alongside other NBA superstars. Last season, the 26-year-old shooting guard posted incredible numbers, averaging 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.5 percent shooting from the field and 35.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
The deal will not only be beneficial for the Pistons but also for the Wizards, especially if they already decide to undergo a full-scale rebuild. Aside from the multiple future first-round picks, the Wizards would also acquire two young and promising talents — Luke Kennard and Sekou Doumbouya — who could help them speed up the rebuilding process.
“Sekou Doumbouya was the Pistons first round pick in the 2019 draft, selected 15th overall. He was mocked a few times to the Wizards at ninth, but the Wizards chose Rui Hachimura instead. Doumbouya has a ton of raw potential and would add yet another young asset to the Wizards in a rebuild. Luke Kennard is a great pickup for the Wizards. Kennard is just 23 years old and is about to enter his third season in the NBA. Yet, he has already developed a reputation as one of the best three point shooters in the league. His career three point percentage is amazing, shooting over 40 percent.”
Reggie Jackson, who only serves as a salary cap filler in the potential deal, is obviously an odd fit in Washington, but the Wizards could use him to acquire more future draft assets. Jackson’s expiring contract will be valuable to teams who want to boost their chance of contending for the NBA championship while preserving their salary cap space for the summer of 2020.
