The short answer is no. If you look at the picture even Ben Gordon thinks my headline was a feeble attempt to link a relatively meaningless trade that took place late last night to the NBA Draft tomorrow. The long answer, though, is that Charlotte’s trade with Detroit for Ben Gordon may justify the draft pick they were about to make anyways a little bit more.
If Charlotte is not able to swing a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as has been reportedly discussed between the two teams, the pick they are likely to make is Thomas Robinson from Kansas at number two overall.
In the event that NBA history questions the fact that they didn’t take shooting guard Bradley Beal from Florida, maybe their deal for shooting guard Ben Gordon could serve as some of that reason. Or some of that excuse.
The details of that trade, which also sent Corey Maggette and his expiring contract from the Bobcats to the Pistons, are as follows.
FS Detroit: Tuesday, the Pistons traded Gordon, the last two years of his contract and a lottery-protected first-round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for forward Corey Maggette. The pick Detroit traded is protected throughout the lottery in 2013, through the top eight picks in 2014 and for the top pick in 2015. It becomes unprotected in 2016.
Maggette, who will turn 33 shortly after the start of the season, is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. Playing for the horrendous Bobcats, he shot a career-low 37 percent from the floor while averaging 15 points a game.
Most importantly, Maggette’s $10.9 million contract expires at the end of next season, which will enable the Pistons to use him as trade bait or turn him into cap space for the summer of 2013. Gordon is owed $25.6 million over the next two seasons, so the deal saves the Pistons around $15 million.
If not Thomas Robinson at two, maybe Charlotte then goes Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the two spot. MKG then fills that void left by the departing Magette. Maybe.
The real truth is that there is nobody the Bobcats shouldn’t draft based on the fact that they have somebody else who plays that position already on their awful roster. Just about anybody was in play before Tuesday’s trade, and just about anybody is in play now that it’s over.
Anybody except Anthony Davis of course.
Good move by Charlotte to pick up that conditional Draft pick also, even if it means two more years of Ben Gordon.
