Grade the Trade: Mavericks acquire dynamic scorer in rumored deal

Grading the trade for the Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons and their fans would be ecstatic if they could fleece the Mavericks and make this trade.

They already have a young franchise cornerstone in Cade Cunningham and have young supporting pieces in Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Killian Hayes, James Wiseman, and Marvin Bagley III. This team is young, and they get even younger after making this trade.

It also allows Detroit to shed an aging wing. Yes, Bojan Bogdanovic is a fabulous player, and Detroit just signed him to an extension last October, but they don't need him. They're in a rebuild and aren't in the position to make deep playoff pushes.

Now that Detroit holds the fifth and 10th overall picks, they can add two players with star potential to add to their young core. Picks 4-10 are uncertain this year as unexpected players are climbing draft boards, and a player like Taylor Hendricks could fall to Detroit at 10. They could also take a player like Cam Whitmore or one of the Thompson twins with the fifth pick.

Detroit also lands Hardaway Jr. in this trade. He is not as good as Bogdanovic but would provide veteran leadership and court spacing for Cunningham and Ivey. Hardaway Jr. is only under contract for two more seasons, and one of Detroit's young players would hopefully be developed by then to take his spot in the lineup.

This trade is a no-brainer for Detroit.

Potential starting lineup: Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, fifth overall pick, Marvin Bagley III, Jalen Duren

They could even put James Wiseman, the 10th overall pick, or Isaiah Stewart into this lineup. Hardaway Jr. is also a proven starter if they need him to step into that role.