Jennings heads to Detroit, signing a 3 year, $24 million deal.
The Detroit Pistons, who’ve already been active this offseason, have traded for PG Brandon Jennings of the Bucks. The “Swap of the Brandons”, as I’ll dub it, sent Brandon Knight, Khris Middleton and Viacheslav Kravtsov to Milwaukee. This can be seen as good news for both sides, as Detroit acquired a young, talented point guard and Milwaukee got something back for a player who could have potentially left for nothing. The Pistons have improved a side that now has Jennings, Chauncey Billups, Rodney Stuckey, Josh Smith (unfortunately at the 3), Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Detroit could sniff the playoffs for the first time since 2009. On the other hand, the Bucks have moved out of the dreaded 8th seed in the playoffs after losing Monta Ellis to the Dallas Mavericks in Free Agency. Who got the better end of the deal, and what are the grades?
Detroit Pistons: B+ Milwaukee Bucks: C+
Detroit Pistons: Brandon Jennings
Jennings has been an above average (7.0 WARP) Point Guard in his 4 years in the NBA. The Detroit Pistons, albeit in an interesting fashion, have decided that they’d like to be a playoff team right now or in the next few years. After signing Josh Smith, an effective power forward, not so much a small forward, Detroit has crafted a bunch that can make a playoff run. Jennings is certainly a better player than Brandon Knight is at this point, and this trade is effectively a swap for the two, as neither Middleton nor Kravtsov would be seeing many minutes this year. Jennings was completely overlooked this offseason in Free Agency, which is a bit confusing. He elevates any team’s scoring presence, and though not a great passer, with 6.5 APG, nor defender, he can find the open man and put the ball in the basket. Jennings, at only 23, adds to an already young Pistons core, which includes Greg Monroe, also 23, Andre Drummond, 19, and even Josh Smith is only 27. The Pistons are in position to potentially win now, and if they don’t, they still have some time to do it.
Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Knight
Knight has been a bit of a tweener thus far in the NBA. While not an effective point guard, he’s a bit small for the 2. Should he be able to find his position in the league, he can well end up as a good player. He can shoot the basketball and drive to the lane as well, but his passing simply limits his abilities as of now. Perhaps he can find his game later on, but he is not an NBA point gaurd as of now, and that’s what he’s expected to do with Jennings gone and OJ Mayo as the SG. The Bucks have certainly dipped out of the playoffs for the upcoming season with this trade.
Khris Middleton and Viacheslav Kravtsov
Neither of these youngsters have gotten too much of a shot in the NBA. Middleton did play 17 minutes per game last year, and was decently successful with 6.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG with a 11.4 PER. He could translate his game a bit more and become an average bench player in the league. Kravtsov only had 9 minutes per last year, and the 6″11 Ukrainian wasn’t too bad, with 3.1 PPG, yet only 1.6 RPG. He was efficient in his few minutes, posting a 14.4 PER.
Summary
All in all, the Pistons improved a lineup that had the ablity to make a playoff run and the Bucks got something for a player that could have returned nothing. At the very least, Brandon Knight has some potential and both Middleton and Kravtsov can play some minutes off the bench. The Pistons are on the way up and the Bucks are headed the opposite direction, and perhaps the Pistons can take the Bucks’ 8 seed this year.
What do you think of the trade, and who won? Comment below.
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