Could the Detroit Pistons Trade for Julius Randle or Michael Porter Jr. this Offseason | POP Podcast

Could the Detroit Pistons Trade for Julius Randle or Michael Porter Jr. this Offseason | POP Podcast

how could the Detroit Pistons trade the fifth pick and who could they get back plus if the new president of basketball operations wants to fire Monty Williams is that the right choice should they move on from him all that and more on this week’s edition of The Palace Pistons podcast part of the believe Network good evening everybody and welcome to another exciting night of NBA basketball with the first pick the Detroit Pistons selects Kade Cunningham from Oklahoma State University ch get oh what a block by maxal my goodness the Pistons are digging in they got the depth they got the big man they got the better basketball team no doubt about it there’s Jaden playing the passing Lane skies and jam Dynamite DK and the crowd loves it Pistons need a three and they have just another 3 seconds to do it here’s johy Phillips here it is he’s got it he’s got it johy B attemps to FL overtime a about Detroit [Music] basketball welcome to the Palace Pistons podcast part of the believe Network I’m your host Mike angano joining me this week is Aaron Johnson the usual cast of characters from yesterday Year Aaron how are you doing my friend doing good I know we’re going to talk about a topic that will surely get the people going so super excited to hear what people have to say talking about how the Pistons can trade the their their first round draft pick the fifth pick in the draft uh to better equip this team heading in the next season so I know that’ll be a hot uh topic of debate in the YouTube comments and on Twitter and whatnot so super excited to talk about that and I know we’re missing Jasper this week this week excuse but it’ll be back next week and I’m excited to uh to hear what he has to say as well next week but excited to get into what we’ve got cooking up for today yes we are going to get into it um and then some but we’d like to thank our sponsor for this week’s episode and that is BET online and bet online is your number one source for all the NBA and NHL playoffs this season every stat every matchup and even live odds while the games are being played when the game’s over head on over to the online casino and get in on a game of blackjack or poker or unwind with one of 150 other slots games head to the website today and get in on the action don’t forget to use our promo code believe bav for a 50% % welcome bonus on your first deposit again that’s B A V for a 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit when you use bet online B online the game starts here okay we’ll get into our pre-show plugs as usual so this is the obligatory please subscribe to the pal Pistons substack uh if you are watching this on YouTube that will be in the show notes Down Below in the description please subscribe to our newsletter uh you can do so as well at pals.com you can rate our read our latest release which is Aaron talking about friend of the Pod Tim Forin favorite player in this draft and the do connect um we’re going to continue doing that for the next couple weeks to talk about who the Pistons could take with the fifth pick there’s a lot of options this is a very fluid draft so be sure that you subscribe uh to palap pistons.com uh or rather you could you could go there to subscribe to our substack and you will get that content right to your email inbox uh when it goes live really writing about connect I think he’s uh a really really intriguing Prospect I I I know that people are going to dislike his age and taking him you know as a potential top five pick I I know people are going to talk about his defensive shortcomings but you know with there being no perfect prospects in this draft as there never really are it’s especially true this year I really really like connect as a fit with the Pistons so yeah you got get definitely go check that out on Palace of pistons.com I think you you’ll enjoy it and if you don’t tell me why yes tell Aaron Y and I can’t wait to read them all on next week’s show um yeah there’s there’s a lot of good possibilities at five uh this is not a good draft by previous standards but some of the previous drafts were loaded with Talent so you know you’re you’re due for a down year at some point um let let’s go ahead and talk about that fifth pick and not about selecting a player let’s talk about what the Pistons can do to trade the fifth pick because I think that’s the move that most people would rather see happen is moving the fifth pick for a win now guy we’ve talked about it a few times uh over the course of even before the lottery just you know do the Pistons make this pick at all there’s been a lot of speculation as to what Detroit is going to do with that fifth pick a lot of different reporting and that seems to be the case for a lot of teams picking in the lottery it’s very fluid Atlanta at one they can move their pick Houston at three they could move their pick um so it seems like at least one of those teams along with Detroit’s going to end up moving out of one the Spurs could move out of four um so to us it seems like the best way to improve the roster is to trade that fifth pick try to get a win out player make a big splash to get somebody to go next to Kate Cunningham uh we have brought a few of our trades to the table um Ain I I want you to go first because you’re you’re gonna immediately have a polarizing player yeah um and I’m really excited to not only have people pile on you for the draft prospect thing but also this as well oh I know people are going to hate it uh that’s just the reality of it and I am excited to talk about it because it is polarizing and I’m okay with being polarizing I know people are going to be picky about oh the Pistons can’t go after this former All-Star this current All-Star because he’s not the exact Perfect Fit uh meanwhile they refuse to understand the fact that this was a 14- win team and that all of their uh cord players have not lived up to expectations so far so they have to do something that might not be perfect might be a a little bit on the you know outside of normal but they’ve got to do something and so with my trade it’s a three- team trade involving the Pistons the Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder the Detroit Pistons in this trade would receive Julius Randall from the Knicks and then Josh Giddy and Kendrick Williams from the Thunder the Thunder would receive Jaylen Duran from Detroit and former Piston buan bogdanovich from the Knicks and New York would receive Isaiah Stewart the fifth pick and the Philadelphia 76ers 2025 first round pick that is protected top six from Oklahoma City that’s the deal uh I get it’s crazy I get it’s a lot to take in I think say it one more time sure I’ll say it one more time Julius Randall Josh Giddy and kenri Williams to the Pistons the Knicks would get Isaiah Stewart the fifth pick in the draft from Detroit and then a 2025 first round pick from OK OKC that’s actually Philadelphia’s 2025 first-rounder and it’s protected through the top six and then OKC receives Jaylen durran and buan bogdanovich so here’s my thought process I I think the first thing people are going to say is why would the Knicks do that and let’s look at what the Knicks have going on heading into the offseason now that they lost in the east Eastern Conference Finals uh Jaylen Brunson is widely expected to sign a Max contract extension this summer ogn anobi is largely expected to decline a $20 million player option and enter unrestricted free agency the Knicks are highly expected to resign him to a near max level contract with where the NBA is going it is very very hard to build team around a roster built with three max contract players which Julius Randall is so if they’re going to Max Brunson they’re going to near Max or Max in Anie and they’d still like to have the flexibility to maybe go get a real star to pair alongside Brunson not that in anobi isn’t a good player but he’s not necessarily a star uh it means Julius Randall might be kind of a scapegoat in this situation obviously missed the large chunk of the season the back end of the season with New York missed the playoffs but was still very very good when he played he was an All-Star this year he was an Allstar last year but the Knicks have to clear some cap space they also have to build out the roster and with a bunch of guys hitting free agency Isaiah hartenstein being one of them uh they have a couple other names that were involved in their rotation that they’re going to have to try to figure out out if they want to keep or replace them on the roster they’re going to need cap space and they’re going to need financial flexibility this gives them a potential replacement to hartenstein a replacement for Julius Randall in Isaiah Stewart who’s on a what many would say a good contract there were a lot of teams that have been previously interested in Isaiah Stewart in the past and it also gives the Knicks a couple options they can use the fifth pick to draft the player that they feel might be able to play some minutes for them next year but on a cheaper contract they’re not going to be paying this guy 151 1820 million a year like you would have to pay someone like buan bogdanovich who’s do 19 million dollar next season if whatever team he’s on accepts his team option so the Knicks game some draft picks some assets some Financial flexibility in this deal and get a young guy in Stewart on a new contract but also on a contract that’s nowhere near the price of Julius Randall and maybe it’s not Randall’s full value I think that’s going to be the uh the first thing people say is that they’re you know kind of selling short on Randall I don’t even necessarily disagree with that and the Pistons can probably get beat out in a trade like this uh but that’s the reality of the Pistons trying to make deals this summer unless they’re throwing in all of their young guys outside of Kate Cunningham they don’t have a ton to trade with they just don’t so that’s why the Knicks or that’s the that’s the Nick’s side of it for the Pistons they get Julius Randall they get a proven All-Star level player 25 n and four this year with the Knicks they get Josh giddy who come in and be a backup guard for them they need a backup point guard Josh giddy can be that and then they get another forward in kenri Williams who can space the floor play a little bit of defense for the Thunder it gets them a center in Jaylen dur it gets them someone to defend and rebound the basketball I know Duran’s defense is definitely a question mark but they’ve certainly needed some additional size and durren is often talked about as as someone with just great size great strength uh I think he makes sense for them another young player to I think could potentially pair alongside Chad hram and then they get buan bonovich to replace some of the Gordon Hayward minutes give them another option on the wing I know they’ve got a lot of different contracts that are coming up in the near future they’re not going to be able to keep everyone around so banovich for one year gives them a player that can space the floor as a veteran presence and and can help them so I know that’s a lot to take in Mike I don’t know if what talking points you have based off that deal I don’t know how fair you feel that deal is for everyone I don’t think anyone is going to I don’t think everyone’s going to say this is a a fair trade for all sides and I get that but trying to make a trade with the Detroit Pistons right now is proving to be a little bit difficult you you know it is difficult because when we were discussing doing this thought exercise for the podcast I went into uh the tray machine like many people are doing right now um figuring out what the Pistons could do and it is not easy um because of Duren and Ivy being desirable but not desirable enough um to really be like needle moving type of players the fifth pick is um not super well regarded and the rest of the roster outside of Kate Cunningham is not appealing to a lot of a lot of people um so it is hard I I was trying to look at a Michael Porter Jr trade um as as he’s he’s a kind of a byy low guy who is making a lot of money but the Pistons have a lot of money to play with and he’s a guy that you might not have to give up hardly anything for I mean I saw fake trades with Michael Porter Jr of like Jared Allen and Caris LeVert and you get back you know a first and a second from Denver I you know I saw quite interesting trades because his contract is so large and even then I was having an issue trying to find something for the Pistons so it’s not easy as for your trade I I I’m not a fan of Julius Randall just his style of play he is coming off of a kind of me season he was still an All-Star but it you know it was a it was a downgrade kind of year for him I think shooting across the board his turnovers were up a little bit he is making 30 million bucks next year he has a $32 million player option the year after and then he’s an unrestricted free agent um but you know I think that’s some somewhere of the ballpark of the type of player that Detroit’s gonna have to try to get he is a needle mover whether you like to admit it or not he he is a good player and he would be the second best player on the Pistons right now which is more of an indictment on them than Julius Randall being the second best player on any team right now but I still like it I think the Giddy and Henrik Williams is is really interesting in fact if if we could just take the Knicks out of entirely and give Isaiah Stewart to the Thunder who were a team that was interested in Stewart as a stretchy five or four I I’d be interested in that um as well giddy you know take the stuff off off off the court aside he was played out of the playoff series against Dallas uh because he is just not a good shooter he actually shot just just a whisker better from three than Jaden Ivy did this past year if you know if you’re gonna call giddy a bad shooter Jay Navy was um also not a very good shooter giddy’s tall you’re looking for another playmaker that’s that’s never been a question of his as the playmaking side he can get downhill but I I really like Kenrick Williams I think that’s a that that’s the kind of Veteran presence that the Pistons need uh as a as a shooter I I just don’t like Julius Randall and but I kind of I I kind of get it though I I I do get it but that’s the position that the Pistons are in you know it’s true you can’t you you can’t be picky when you won 14 correct and look man I if Julius Randle comes in and doesn’t have a great year here which I would be shocked over because who is taking the ball out of his hands in Detroit it’s a little bit different in New York where there were seemingly more mouths to feed I I get Kate cunning cams here but every good team has two guys that take the ball absorb possessions are are on the hierarchy above everybody else like Julius randle’s been an All-Star in three the past four years he he a 25 Point per game scorer again not a perfect player clearly has his deficiencies but the Pistons won 14 games last year the Pistons won what was it 17 games the year before that they have to start trying to get better and you could say oh just you know let these core guys develop let these core guys develop it’s just not how the NBA works and and it hasn’t worked in Detroit so yes you’re giving up some pieces you’re giving up some assets to get a guy like Julius Randall but he still helps this team even if he’s not perfect you’ve got to find a way to put spacing around him in Cunningham you you’ve got to get some def a defensive minded big out there as well but he helps this team he helps them win more basketball games he does um even when the Knicks were kind of like on the up and up didn’t quite have Brunson yet Julius Randall was still a very solid player um he shot like 41 % for fre during this trange Co season that is crazy um I did just run this trade in the trade machine and it does it does work I’m sure that you already ran it but it does it does work um the Knicks take the biggest hit but you know I actually can’t include the 20124 pick for Detroit because it’s not in the trade machine yet technically because they I think they have to pick for the team first I’m not sure exactly the order of operations and um and how that goes but it does it does work in the trade machine at least financially um but I think it’s interesting you know if you’re cashing in during IV and five and you’re getting an immediate plug-and-play player like Randall who fits a need you’re getting an immediate plug-and-play player like giddy who fits a need and you’re getting a good fit in Kenrick Williams that immediately makes the team or at least the bench a little bit stretchier which has been part of the problem for them so I approve of the trade um Randall is a tough sell for a lot of people but you are absolutely correct that’s the kind of position that the Pistons are in same thing with Michael por Jr he’s making bashing the comments over it I I know it’s coming but find the perfect trade also I didn’t pick Brandon Ingram or or dejonte Murray or all of these players that you know we’ve talked about for forever it feels like I mean I I still think Brandon Ingram is like the most ideal Target for Detroit but we’ve already talked about him probably three the last four or five weeks so it’s like it doesn’t doesn’t do anyone any favors to go and bring up Brendon Ingram again when he has been talked about so so much I’m trying to think outside the box a little bit here think a little bit bigger you know you could talk about going after more of a couple role player type guys like if they did just kind of cut New York out of that deal and they tried to do something like Stewart for Gideon Williams like yeah you could talk about that but that’s that’s it’s that doesn’t move the needle for them in the same sense of getting an All-Star level player Like A Randall or a Murray or dare I say even a Zack LaVine might I mean I don’t want to trade for Zack LaVine I’ve been very clear about that I don’t think he’s the type of guy that Pistons should be trying to trade for but at the same time it’s hard to look at the season that they just had a 14- win team where a lot of their young guys seemingly regressed they didn’t get better at least and it’s hard to say well they they don’t need a Zack LaVine they shouldn’t want a Zack line I mean Line’s a good player in a vacuum but that’s just the position that the Pistons are in like you don’t want to turn down talent because you’re so desperately need it but some of these guys may not be exact perfect fits and I I I understand that Randall is not necessarily the perfect guy for in many NBA fans Minds meanwhile if there are somehow and Nicks fans listening to this podcast they’re probably cussing me out for valuing Julius Randall the way that I did in that deal so that’s just the nature of trying to make trades and this is why the trade machine is just it gets to deplorable levels at this time of year when we’re kind of waiting for the off season to be here and it’s all that we have to work off of his speculation um Michael Porter Jr was somebody that I looked at trying to get because I think that is the kind of Buy Low and he’s making he’s making a lot of money he’s making a a lot of money he’s in year three of a five-year deal I think um he’s made like 35 million a year or some some absurd number let me pull it up but that’s the kind of like voo type of guy that the Pistons are going to have to look at and think is this worth it because you you probably don’t have to give up you might have to give up five to do that which is pretty crazy like Denver’s in such a financial pickle um and not getting out of the second round after winning the NBA Championship the year prior they’re in a pickle because they have to resign cavius calwell Pope because they they are going to look to pay kcp um and they they are in the position of okay do we you know consider mpj a salary uh basically a dump and I don’t know if they’re willing to do that they you know it depends what Calvin Booth wants to really do and you know they could tweak that Rost they’ve been so good with second round draft picks like Julian strw and other guys like Christian Brown that maybe they roll the dice and see what they can do um but they they they’ve exhausted the second rounders they might have to do something like trade Michael Porter Jr and if that’s the case then the Pistons could be in the same ilk of trying to get Julius Randall as a plug-and-play guy mpj certainly fits the bill as someone that you could put in at the three or the four and he can provide spacing he can provide a little bit of playmaking he’s got size that would really be interesting it’s just what does that look like and I went through the trade machine trying to find guys that would fit um and it’s it’s not easy you know if you give the nuggets someone like Evan fornier that they could just terminate the contract and clear cap space I don’t think you can actually do that after a trade the trade machine would not let me do it you might not have to give up five to make that happen you know that might even be too rich um and I don’t know what other teams are able and willing to take on his contract so he was a guy that I was looking at trying to make a trade work they haven’t expressed any interest in Isaiah Stewart but the that that would get some of the financials a little bit closer and I looked at uh dejonte Murray again under the assumption that the Hawks are gonna absolutely blow it up and build around alexar and Jaylen Johnson the Trey young stuff we’ve talked about ad ad a um and he’s just as difficult to make the money work as Michael Porter Jr but my trade had dejon Murray and Clint capella coming to Detroit capella would easily slot in as a center uh whether he’s backing up durren or not but I had Ivy and Stewart and five going back to the Hawks who were in full rebuild mode you get a guy like Murray who fits seamlessly next to Kate Cunningham you move off of Isaiah Stewart’s contract you do take on Clint Capella’s 22.2 mil which will soak up quite a bit of the cap along with Murray’s uh 25 and some change I think um but that was the move that I had we’ve talked about Murray a lot I get that but it seems like with Trey young changing representation away from clutch he’s probably not going to the Lakers that would leave the Knicks or the Pistons or San Antonio as a team that would want to get in on Trey Young And if if if they do that if the Spurs give up four and eight plus salary to get Trey you know I don’t see why the Hawks would keep Murray when they could offload him and get another Hall maybe get five out of the deal with Detroit and then they pretty much control the draft lottery for this year in a bad draft but when you’re a team like them trying to find an identity um you want as many bullets in the chamber as possible and they would certainly get that I I don’t I don’t dislike that trade whatsoever and I think if if you’re Detroit and you’re getting Clint capella back to take on those minutes at Center and you’re Atlanta and you’re probably saying look we gave up four first round picks to get to Jon Murray we can’t just take one pick back in a weak class I think that’s where then you could Loop in OKC again and say look you’ve got all these picks you know you can either get capella rerouted to you you could get Jaylen Duren you’ve got to get a first to Atlanta and then what you know if you’re getting Duren Detroit probably need needs to get something from Oklahoma City uh but there’s a way to like sweeten that deal for the Hawks if they’re like we’re dead set on getting two first round picks along with whatever else and not that jayen Ivy and isaah Stewart aren’t valuable but it’s just like they might they might it just sounds like they feel so strongly about getting first round picks back that that’s where that third team might have to come in and you know you know in a deal where there’s a center involved capella and the Pistons could move on from Duran like it’s there’s a way to make that work considering what we feel Oklahoma City wants to do as well to uh to to beef up their front court so I don’t dislike that whatsoever I think dejonte Murray as I said when we were talking about this before the trade deadline I think the jeante Murray should be a target for the Pistons I don’t see any issue playing him alongside Kade Cunningham again you need talent you need proven NBA players de jonte Murray is that so I like that deal from Detroit’s perspective I think if Atlanta’s trying to blow things up and they can get Ivy if they’re gonna trade both Murray and Trey young Ivy gives them a high ceiling guard that obviously would have the Reps and the opportunity to grow into being a very very talented player you know I don’t know what their plans are with someone like Kobe buffkin but they could ideally if they are blowing this up come out with a lineup next season of like Kobe buffkin jayen Ivy Jaylen Johnson and one or two first round picks from this year’s draft maybe it’s a an Alex SAR and in a zakari Rish or or someone like that and it’s like okay you’ve got a a core to start your rebuild with and you’ve probably got a couple other Assets in the chamber now as well so if they are looking to to tear things apart between Trey young and dejon Murray they should be getting enough first round picks back and that there’s interest in also bringing in a couple young players that they can see what they can do with as as they start that rebuild so I I I like that trade uh from from both perspectives if the Hawks are indeed planning to to blow things up and one other thing on that because I’ve read a couple of hawks guys who cover the Hawks I’m they’re not on the beat but they watch them a lot more than I do and on y oong was someone that I’ve always liked a lot at Center but he’s a guy that would you know him and SAR would be let’s just say that they do take Alex SAR he’s a guy that there would immediately be a block and okong might be a guy that if capella is headed somewhere like an OKC who needs a big could the Pistons sneak in and give up oku or I’m sorry and get oku out of it if they’re moving on from Duren um and that’s another guy that I’ve always liked a lot who to me would make sense on the Pistons he’s less of an offensive threat he’s more of a rim protector um the Pistons struggled with Rim protection for most of the year they have for a few years so that’s another guy that hey maybe if you go in and you can get okong he’s got he makes 14 million a year and he just signed an extension for I think it’s four for four years 14 mil each so it’s like 56 or 58 mil that’s a guy that I wouldn’t hate that either if you’re not going to get a center in the draft like if you’re going to end up trading out of five and you’re not going to get a Donovan kinging and you know um you’re not going to get a big then he’s a guy that should be someone that the Pistons could see if they could lump into that trade with Deonte Marine yeah I I would be okay with that as well it’s in and the the the reality of it is like first off show me the perfect trade you’re not going to be able to doesn’t exists the Pistons want to make serious changes this offseason apparently uh it’s still got to wait because they don’t have a president of basketball operations yet but they supposedly want to make some serious changes so if they’re going to do that it’s going to cost them some of their best assets Ivy Duren Stewart the fifth pick whatever like I I know Kate’s pretty much off the table I think Asar Thompson is probably behind him in that regard but also pretty safe I would say unless they really could get someone which I I am personally of the opinion that if they can get someone like goar Thompson should be movable um but they’re gonna have to use some of these assets if they are going to be involved in the trade market which is what we’ve been told they want to do they don’t have the other contracts or the other assets to work with they don’t have future first on picks until 2028 that they can trade they don’t have a bunch of other young young prospects or or good role players that are on solid contracts that can just be thrown into these trades to help make things work they just they just don’t they have a ton of roster spots that are going to be available and then they have a ton of young guys that make up the rest of that team so it’s just hard to get something done it’s hard to get a good player or two good players without being willing to give up draft compensation or some of your better young players so know everyone’s going to be upset about oh how how are you giving up on Jaden iy already you know he just turned 22 like he had such a great rookie year Monty Williams messed him up his first first year here how can you give up on Jaylen Duren double double machine this and that it’s like it’s not necessarily you want to give up on these guys but if you’re gon to get better You’ got to give up something to do that and that’s what Detroit has to work with that’s the reality yeah they’re just stuck I mean I invite anybody to go on to the trade machine and look at all these contracts that the Pistons have and try to Cobble together something of value to get back I mean Troy Brown Jr I mean what are we going to he shot like 26% from three in the short time he was there it’s like what are you gon to do with that is Quinton Grimes getable you know are are they concerned about his health with his knee hard to say how much the valum because he couldn’t get on the court um he’s probably not going to be traded either but you never know um Stuart he’s got fans on the beat especially it’s like but it’s just hard to make these things work um so I invite anybody to go on to the trade machine and see what they could put together um I’m all for suggestions but It ultimately doesn’t matter until the Pistons do hire president of basketball operations um and we’re still waiting on that uh we thought maybe last week we would get some news on Tim Connelly joining but um The Wolves ended up winning uh and advancing to the Western Conference Finals so that has put that on Ice um and to me it doesn’t close the door on Tim Connelly but it kind of all but closes the door on Tim Connelly just because the Pistons are going to run out of time um coaches are already being hired the Cavaliers are still in their bunker deciding what to do with JB bicker staff and I think part of the reason that they are in that position is there’s not a whole lot of coaches um that make a whole lot of sense so what are you gon to do with Monty Williams who’s been kind of pseudo on the hot seat for a while um so to me they have to make a decision soon on who they’re going to hire for the president basketball operations uh So speaking of him or her and speaking of Monty what is your opinion on the president basketball operations coming in firing Monty cleaning house the coaching staff and whatnot it seems like the pobo is gonna have free reign to fire both Troy Weaver and Monty um Weaver could you know accept being pushed down in the pecking order in terms of power uh he could be fired but Monty’s the interesting one because they’ve given so much money to him uh in the at the time the richest contract in coaching history what is your opinion on firing Monty should the president of basketball operations come in and say yeah we have to we have to clean house look I I’ve been of of the opinion that Monty Williams was an absolute disaster in his first season as this team said coach Tom gors committed a ton of money to him and to be fair at the at the time when it happened wasn’t a single person saying that that was a bad hire I didn’t say it you didn’t say it Jasper didn’t say it no one said oh maybe they shouldn’t hire Mony Williams maybe that’s not a great hire everyone said that was a good hire and it it it looked like a good hire but I think everyone was wrong because it it it just wasn’t and way that this team performed you look at the losing streak the record setting losing streak the record setting record uh the the regression seemingly of some of the most important young pieces on this team outside of Kate Cunningham and you wonder how can that coach stay if a team makes the playoffs and gets eliminated and and a coach like Frank vogle is let go how can a coach that won 14 games survive that’s what I’m wondering and I think it’s a tough position to put this new president of basketball operations in walk in and have to figure out as much as he’s going to have to figure out before the draft and then free agency right after that but it’s hard for me to say Monty Williams deserves another shot there’s it’s just too important that they get this thing turned around and turned around fast so I think the new president of basketball operations needs to come in and needs to make serious serious changes that starts looking at the leadership from last year so you don’t think it’s too late I don’t what could could could it get any worse could could hiring a new coach make anything worse at this point you could hire JB in about three or four days would that would that not be an upgrade I I 14 yes I it probably would be um it probably would be but you know teams are making like the Jordy Fernandez type of hire that’s who we thought the Pistons should should be going after last summer and by the way we are all three of us are on the record as really liking this hire of Monty Williams we were singing praises of the Organization for doing the right thing Tom Gore is shelling out the money to go get a coach I get not wanting to keep him it was awful it was bad and you know if he does get fired so be it he’s not going to lose any sleepover he’s getting paid no matter what Tom Gores is right in the check doesn’t really matter to me it’s not my money um but you don’t think it’s too late so are there any names in mind for Replacements that you’d be interested it’s tough because it’s it’s it’s doesn’t seem like there’s a very robust coaching Market out there this time around you know we we’ve talked about it before going after a retread is not appealing it’s not desirable to just go get a you know a guy like Frank vogle or or some of these other coaches that have maybe been out of a job for a year or two and bringing them back into the fold like just doesn’t really do anything for me this team seems to need a a a guy that maybe hasn’t been a head coach yet but has been a well-respected assistant coach that’s just kind of been biting his time I don’t know who that is I’m not an NBA decision maker so I don’t I can’t tell you the names there uh but what I can speak to is that what happened in Detroit this past season was an utter disaster it was chaos and it’s hard to to to sign up for another year of that I mean what do you do do you go into the season with Monty and if it’s 25 games in and this team’s won five games do you pull the plug I mean I I’m trying to figure out like what does Detroit do at this point I I don’t know you know do they are do they want a guy like JJ reick if he doesn’t get the Lakers job I mean do they want a guy like Sam Cassell who’s interviewed for several NBA coaching or head coaching positions before like do they want to try to get chony bips from the Blazers if he does end up leaving Portland I just I don’t know what the the best course of action for them is and look like we’ve said you know we like Monty Williams last year so we don’t know everything but I just don’t know if I buy bringing him back next year and thinking that things are going to get better I don’t know what I saw this year that indicates it was you know a year of putting in a system and laying the foundation I didn’t I didn’t see any of that I just I just saw regression and I I I saw dejection and I saw record breaking history that you don’t want to be on the side of so that’s where I’m at I I who’s got the answers I mean not going to sit here and tell you I do I don’t got all of them but who who do the people want to be the next head coach of the Pistons I think some would say JJ reck I really do I I really do too and that’s a really bizarre situation because the Lakers are looking for a head coach and JJ reck’s been linked to it Sam Cassell’s been linked to it I think there are still some good names out there if the Pistons do want to get into the coaching pool again um I do think that JB bicker staff will be available as soon as Friday I I don’t mind him he navigated the Cavaliers out of the lottery team to winning their playoff series Without LeBron since before I was born in 1993 you know that is commendable um I like Sam Cassell I like Dave Adelman uh out of Mike Malone’s coaching tree I don’t mind Chris Quinn either out of Eric Spa’s coaching tree um I think there are names out there I don’t really like Frank vogle that doesn’t do anything for me I think you’re just like looking at Monty 2.0 guy who who not only came from the same team that he was fired from with Phoenix but a guy who’s looking for maybe a Payday and I think he is already getting paid um it doesn’t really do anything for me um he’s a fine coach but seems like he’s more geared up for a playoff so there are guys out there that I would be fine with um it’s just a matter of do you do that and to play Devil’s Advocate to you and I totally get wanting to fire Monty and it’s entirely Justified you talked about Foundation the foundation of that team was set by Troy Weaver that that Foundation was crumbling before Monty even got here is is is part of my problem with with firing him after one season is that I don’t think he was given a a fair shot there was regression and that’s not um debatable it’s also not justifiable those guys should have played better they were still going to be bad but they didn’t need to be 14 Games bad which is which is just unacceptable um but I do think it’s a unique circumstance where he’s getting paid so much money and and the team is going to look totally different next year I mean that’s the expectation and you might have should better have a new pres of basketball operations Troy Weaver should be out of the picture could have a new general manager um I think it might be might be worth giving him one more season to try to write the ship depending on what they do in the offseason I think it’s just such a unique situation but again just play devil’s advocate he should be fired it’s more than justifiable um but but the team was just so busted even before he got here and the coverboard so Barren that it’s it’s just very it’s very strange Troy Weaver may have laid the foundation of this team but Monty Williams was the one that started Killian Hayes over jayen Ivy Monty Williams was one that continued to play Isaiah Stewart and Jaylen Duren together as the teams starting four and starting five together despite there being no spacing on the court around the star player the franchise player Kade Cunningham Monty Williams is the guy whose rotation would extend into 12 players deep within the first half of a game Monty Williams didn’t seem like he had much of a a a plan at any given point it was just kind of like throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what would stick and it didn’t work and if that’s the plan as as a head coach I don’t think you can sign up for another year of that when things have to get better people are frustrated people are demanding change and if it doesn’t come you’re probably losing not just fans but you’re probably losing the one meaningful thing that this team has right now in Kate Cunningham so I just don’t I just don’t know where the confidence is in bringing Williams back it’s definitely not a confidence move and it’s really hinges on a lot of other things that the Pistons have to get right which as of now I I just I just don’t I I don’t have the um trust so I I totally get it I really do um hopefully the Poo will be hired soon I don’t think it’ll be Tim Connelly unless there is some serious back channeling happening right now um but maybe maybe we’ll get a a try young Langdon maybe we’ll get a John Hammond um we’ll have to see but that person is going to wield some pretty pretty significant voting and vetoing power in the front office and you know they just really have to nail this higher much like we thought they to nail the coaching higher last year they really like really have to nail this higher because if this person’s going to have power um you you don’t want to give it to uh a crazy person like a Mike holgren I remember Browns fans were so happy that they got Mike holgren to be the GM and I think he sat on his chair and drank drinks with a little umbrella in them for the entire duration of his time so they really have to nail this higher they do and then that’s the scary thing because we thought they did we thought they did last year when they hired Monty Williams and look I would have been okay you know if if there was you know the the foundation of an identity being built from last year and things didn’t you know go great like that would be one thing if it seemed like players were really bought into being a defensive minded team and there were there was a commitment to that side of the quarter they were really run and Gun and and were this hyper efficient offensive team that hasn’t figured out how to play a full 48 minutes on defense yet like but they just don’t have that and and I haven’t gotten the vibe that there’s confidence inside on on Mony Williams so why should anyone on the outside have it and maybe a lot of that is stemming from the POS the position he was put in under Troy Weaver’s roster assembly but I just don’t know how you look at all these other teams and how quickly they’ve moved to make changes and and and make make replacement hires don’t know how you’re the worst team in the league and don’t think you might need to do the same right agreed um Ain any anything else for this edition of the pal Pistons podcast talked about the fifth pick who we want to get for that pick not necessarily selecting but who we’d want to get in a trade and then we talked about firing Monty Williams um anything else you want to touch on before we wrap up look we we we said it last week you know hoping that we’d have an update hopefully we have one next week on the president of basketball operations search I would imagine Tim Conley is probably just out of the running at this point like Minnesota’s embark on the Conference Final series that they very much could win and then be playing in the in the finals that takes you all the way into the middle of June uh which would take you you know to a week two weeks before the NBA draft you can’t wait until two weeks before the NBA draft to to sign a president of fastball operations the ball has to get rolling soon I think you’re looking at a guy like Dennis Lindsay Scott Perry trejon Langdon I think you’re looking at those other candidates that have been reported at this point I think that’s where the hire is likely going to come you know it’s it’s unfortunate if Tim Conley was a real legitimate possibility which all signs point to it being considering the reporting considering the Pistons have waited this long to make fire it seems like they have really wanted to talk to Connelly and see if they could make something work but it just doesn’t look like they’re going to have the time and ability to do so so now it’s what does the firm think of these other candidates what does the search firm have to say for them do they start the interview process have they already talked to those those guys what does Tom Gores think what do other key stakeholders like maybe AR telum think of these guys and you’ve got to get the ball rolling because they’ve got to make those decisions Troy Weaver on Monty Williams on the draft if they’re going to try to trade that pick on draft night what are they going to do in free agency a week after that so there’s a lot of things that have to go down they’ve got to make this higher soon I would hope by next week we at least have an update on like you know the Pistons are down to these two or three guys they’ve held interviews with so so and so and so and so and they’re making the final decision by the we you know the end of May or something along along those lines yeah I think they’re just going to run out of time with Tim Connelly um maybe had the Wolves lost it would be a different story but they didn’t they won so um I agree they’re going to have to go with one of the other options um but time is running out like you said draft free agency around the corner resigning players Kate Cunningham is eligible for a rookie scale Max extension that undoubtedly is going to be on the incoming president of basketball operations mind as well um so lots to think about lots to disc discuss uh we will be discussing it hopefully on next week’s show be able to talk about who they hired um I do want to give a couple of plugs at the at the end here for the pal Pistons YouTube channel which is continuing to populate with more and more clips from past podcasts and if you’re watching uh the podcast on the on YouTube right now please take 30 seconds you can leave a like on this video And subscribe it does help us tremendously and it is free to you you can also follow us on social media on Tik Tok at Palace of pistons on X formerly known as Twitter at Palace of Pistons Instagram Palace pistons and Facebook at Palace of Pistons so that’s going to do it for this episode of the pal Pistons podcast um Aaron good talking to you as always my friend always a blast and you did a good job on the plugs this week Mike I I you know I know that’s usually my job but you uh you Steed in right there came up to the plate and hit a home run go subscribe go follow go do all that good stuff let us know what you think on on our trade trades on on who the coach should be on if Monty Williams should be back we want to hear about all that we love all the interaction in the YouTube comments people love to talk in there people love to say whatever’s on their mind so definitely appreciate that and giving us your time uh and and coming to us for thoughts on the Pistons and valuing what we have to say is so greatly appreciated yes and uh one last plug for the substack as as we did at the top of the show please do subscribe there’s content coming to you every Friday the form of this podcast every Wednesday in the form of whatever is on Aaron’s mind lately it’s prospects and then every Monday morning is the weekly Drive which is courtesy of uh me so now this is really going to do it for this edition of The Palace Pistons podcast like to thank our sponsor of this week’s episode that is BET online and again you use the promo code bav at bet online to get a 50% welcome bonus on your first deposit for Aaron Johnson I am Mike angolano thank you so much for joining us on this week’s edition of The Palace P podcast part of the believe Network you see you all next time [Music]

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On this week’s edition of the Palace of Pistons Podcast, Mike Anguilano and Aaron Johnson are back to discuss all the latest surrounding the Detroit Pistons. First, the guys share a few potential trade ideas for the Detroit Pistons. Heading into a big offseason, could the Pistons make a trade for someone like Michael Porter Jr. or Julius Randle? Then, they discuss whether the new President of Basketball Operations should retain Monty Williams as the team’s head coach or move on from him after just one season with the Pistons.

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