The trade buzz surrounding point guard Reggie Jackson and center Andre Drummond is expected to spill into the offseason as Detroit Pistons head coach and general manager Stan Van Gundy attempts to look for viable options on the trade market, per Detroit Free Press writer Vince Ellis.
Drummond must take big step
During the exit interviews, Van Gundy stressed that Drummond should try to work on his game this offseason if he wants to reach his ceiling as a player. The Pistons head coach said that he’s still optimistic about Drummond’s potential, but the big man must learn to have "a sense of urgency to elevate his game" as he enters his fifth year in the league.
The 23-year old Drummond played through 81 games last season, averaging 13.6 points and 13.8 rebounds in 29 minutes per contest.
However, the Pistons front office wanted better numbers from the former Connecticut standout, especially after they signed him to a five-year, $130 million contract last summer.
According to Ellis, the Pistons’ front office is slowly losing faith in Drummond as the franchise player capable of taking the team deep into the postseason. Van Gundy believes his center has the tools to be a really good player in the league, but lacks the motivation to get the job done.
Reggie Jackson for Eric Bledsoe trade
In the same article, Ellis tackled Jackson’s future with the Pistons after missing the bulk of the 2016-17 season with multiple injuries. Van Gundy believes Jackson is now physically healthy after going through tendinitis problems that forced him to miss the Pistons’ late playoff push in April.
The Pistons head coach explained that his starting point guard did not bring the same swagger and confidence he had in previous seasons with the team.
Jackson, who averaged 14.5 points and 5.2 assists in 52 games during the regular season, is under contract for three more seasons worth $17 million per year. Ellis speculates that the Pistons could be interested in trading Jackson to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, if he’s available.
Despite another losing season for the Suns, the 27-year old Bledsoe actually played well last season, as he put up 21.1 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 33 minutes per game. He also shot 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point territory. Moreover, Bledsoe has two more years ($14M per year) remaining in his contract, making him a feasible trade target for teams this offseason.
