Detroit Pistons Land Sharpshooting Forward in Latest NBA Mock Trade

Does this trade make sense for the Detroit Pistons?

May 14, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) dribbles in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Armed with young players and veterans on expiring contracts, the Detroit Pistons will be in a position to swing a trade to change their trajectory in a few months. One recent scenario that emerged has them acquiring a former champion who is an ideal fit for the roster.

Earlier this week, the people at Bleacher Report put together three-team trades that could shake-up the NBA landscape. One of the hypotheticals has the Pistons engaging in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets.

In this mock trade, Detroit lands Michael Porter Jr. from the Nuggets in exchange for Isaiah Stewart, Tim Hardaway Jr, and a second-round pick.

The Pistons should be thrilled to add Porter, a lifetime 41.0 percent three-point shooter, to a roster that ranked tied for last in made threes (11.0) and 26th in accuracy (34.8 percent). Plugging him into the starting lineup at small forward gives players like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey more driving space to operate in.

Porter is a score-first forward who has thrived with the Nuggets playing off a selfless star in Nikola Jokic. Last season he posted averages of 16.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.5 APG while shooting 39.7% from beyond the arc.

After dealing with a back injury to start his career, Porter Jr. has developed nicely for the Nuggets. His scoring mindset has made him an ideal complement to a superstar like Jokic. Seeing that the Pistons also have a highly-skilled playmaker who needs floor-spacing around him, MPJ could have similar success in Detorit.

In regards to his contract, Porter Jr. is signed through the next three seasons. His price tag is steep at around $35 million, and only gets higher through the life of the deal. Being the primary second option behind Cade Cunningham, he could live up to that salary if his production can increase.

The only issue with a move like this is it only creates a bigger log jam at the forward positions for Detroit. This would make it more difficult for Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland to play consistently and develop their games.

As a knockdown shooter and high-level scorer, Porter Jr. would be an instant fit on the Pistons. That said, he isn't the capable of player worth speeding up the core's timeline for.