What We Learned From Trajan Langdon's Latest Press Conference — Pistons Draft & Offseason

[0:02] Hey guys, I want to welcome you back to another episode of Pistons Talk Podcast presented by [0:08] FanDuel. In today's episode, what we'll be discussing Trajan Langdon at a press conference [0:15] today as we do get closer to the NBA draft. So we're going to be getting into some of the [0:22] quotes that he had about this upcoming NBA draft. He also got into some offseason stuff. We're [0:32] great targets for the Detroit Pistons because the way he worded it, it sounds like the Pistons [0:37] are gearing up for at least something, some kind of move, right? We hope so. We'll also be getting [0:43] into maybe a possibly a Malik Beasley update. I don't really know. I'll let you guys be the judge [0:49] if you guys think this is an update. We got Beasley saying one thing. We got Trajan saying [0:55] something else. So it should be a really good podcast. If you guys do want to leave [1:02] any type of comments in the live chat after I'm done talking, we can maybe do a Q&A for [1:10] 10-15 minutes if you guys do have questions about this upcoming draft, NBA free agency, [1:16] trade market, anything like that should be a really good show. But let's get into [1:20] the first segment of this podcast. So I'm going to be sharing my screen with you guys real quick [1:27] because we have a lot of things that we're going to be putting on the screen like we usually do on [1:33] these podcasts. I mean, if you guys are, you know, a long time subscriber, you know, I like doing this [1:38] when we're doing podcasts. So this is a quote from Trajan Langdon and he was asked about this upcoming [1:43] NBA draft and pick 21. He said, you'd have to look at the history of the draft, but it's hard to find a [1:49] good shooter at 21. I think we can add playmaking there, but for us, it's who's the best player [1:56] there. Now, what's kind of interesting about this quote from Trajan Langdon for me, and if you can [2:04] kind of read him between the lines, right? He said, you know, it's hard to find a shooter at 21. Now [2:10] makes you think who's a shooter in this class that could be in range at 21. First player that comes to [2:18] mind is Isaiah Evans. Isaiah Evans isn't projected to go, you know, top 15. He's projected late first [2:29] round. So maybe the Pistons aren't really sold on Isaiah Evans. I did see he had a workout with the [2:36] Detroit Pistons. He was wearing some Detroit Pistons shorts. I know my guy, Louise, actually [2:40] sent me a picture of him working out with Detroit Pistons gear, which is really common for these [2:46] draftees. They do get, you know, gear from different teams that do work out with, but [2:50] maybe Trajan in the front office aren't really sold on Isaiah Evans, even though he's a really [2:55] good shooter. I think there are a lot of shooters in this draft class. I mean, Christian Anderson [2:59] is another one who shot 40% from three. He does do the playmaking a little bit, but maybe the Pistons [3:05] intel and what's telling them maybe, you know, Christian Anderson isn't there at 21. So I found this [3:11] very telling for what types of prospects that the Pistons are looking at 21 really emphasize [3:18] playmaking. And I think there are some playmakers not only at the guard position, but also at the [3:24] forward position as well. I mean, when we were talking to Paige from those ceilings, she mentioned [3:30] Joshua Jefferson, who was a very good playmaker at the forward position. He kind of reminds you of [3:35] Josh Hart, who just won a NBA championship with the New York Knicks. So, I mean, I think there's a lot [3:40] of options for the Detroit Pistons if they do decide to stay at 21. I know Omari, who's a really [3:48] good Detroit Pistons reporter at the Detroit Free Press. He did have a video that he put out when he [3:56] was at the presser, because I don't think this was released at all. I think if you were down there, [4:00] you got to take videos of it. But Omari had this tweet, and I want to read the tweet off my phone [4:07] really quick for you guys, because it's going to kind of get into our next segment with the Detroit [4:14] Pistons. And, you know, the next segment is like, could the Pistons possibly move up in this draft? [4:23] Let me find what Omari tweeted. I'll read it off of my phone for you guys. I mean, he was live [4:29] tweeting during this presser, and he's arguing with Pistons fans. Absolutely love it. Omari's got [4:35] time today. So, he said, Trajan Langdon leads off by saying he's confident that he can find a good [4:41] player with pick 21. He thinks it's more likely they try to move up than down or out of the draft [4:48] altogether. Now, if we kind of look at this upcoming NBA draft, right, we look where the Pistons [4:56] are at. And I'm going to pull up Tankathon for you guys and put this on the screen, right? If we [5:01] look at where the Pistons are at, and they're currently mocked to draft the Buka Corey at [5:07] Stanford, you look at the players above them in the mocks. I mean, you look at a Chris Sinek Jr., [5:12] which I don't really think they would trade up for. Christian Anderson, who I just mentioned, [5:17] he's mocked to go 19 to the Raptors. My favorite, as you guys know, no secret, [5:23] Hannes Steinbeck. I just love the kid. I honestly think that he could be a project [5:30] at the power forward position that would be worth developing. But, you know, Pistons are a 60-win [5:35] team. I don't know if they're really in the mindset of developing another, you know, 20-year-old kid. [5:41] But you kind of go a little bit higher up. You look at the Merez Johnson Jr., who's currently a top 15 [5:48] pick on Tankathon out of Michigan, you know, power forward center, you know, kind of reminds you a [5:54] little bit of Isaiah Stewart in a sense. I mean, you look at, I think, everyone's favorite, Cameron [5:58] Carr going 14 to the Charlotte Hornets. I mean, you look at Yaksa Lendenberg, Nadea Met. I mean, [6:11] two prospects I'm looking at. I've told you guys that I sound, probably sound like a broken record. [6:15] Cameron Carr, to me, is one of those players where if I'm the Detroit Pistons, I'm definitely [6:22] considering trading up to get him. I really am. I really am. Like, to me, I think Cameron Carr is a [6:32] good enough prospect where the reward in his ceiling, I think, will pay off. I mean, you're [6:38] talking about a guy that is super athletic, 2-3. He could play shooting guard or small forward, [6:44] already has NBA range, does have some defensive chops. I think Cameron Carr, to me, just screams [6:51] Trajan Langdon. I think he's the type of wing that Trajan really covets in drafts. Could he possibly [6:59] trade up to get into the top 15, top 14, depending where Carr lands? Possibly, possibly. It really [7:05] depends, like, what these teams and how the boards fall of who they want, who they want. You know, [7:13] Yaxel Lendenberg, who we talk about, you know, hometown kid, Michigan product. We talk about [7:20] the power forward depth on this team. We don't know if Tobias Harris is coming back. He has [7:27] indicated that he doesn't want to stay with the team, but what does that cost? You know, Yaxel is, [7:32] I think, a ready-made prospect. I mean, we talk about, you know, you don't want to develop another [7:36] 20-year-old kid. Yaxel's going to be 24 probably when he plays his first NBA game, and I think he's [7:45] a ready-made prospect. I think Yaxel going to a team that is a playoff team, going to a team that [7:50] has deep playoff aspirations like the Pistons do, I think he makes a whole lot of sense. He's a [7:57] athletic forward that can run the floor, lob threat, can score at all three levels, has some [8:04] defensive chops as well. Like, I think Yaxel is just a perfect fit for the Detroit Pistons. I do [8:10] see a little bit of pushback from Pistons fans with Yaxel because he's a little bit older. They're [8:14] not really sold on him as a long-term fit, or not really sold on him as a prospect, which I [8:18] understand. You know, he is kind of coming off an injury, which I think he'll be fine. I don't [8:24] think it's a major injury where you have to be concerned if you're a team drafting him, but I think [8:29] the two players, if you're Trajan and the Pistons, you're looking at Cameron Carr and you're [8:33] looking at Yaxel, I think those are the two prospects, to me anyways, that I think make [8:38] the most sense for the Detroit Pistons. They kind of fit into the need, and they kind of [8:44] fit into what this team is looking for. They're looking for more three-point shooters. They're [8:49] looking for playmakers. Cameron Carr, you know, he's not really known as a playmaker, but [8:55] I mean, low-key, you kind of watch the tape. He makes some pretty good reads. Same with Yaxel. [9:00] Those are two prospects, if I'm a Piston fan, I would be looking out for on draft line as [9:05] a possibility. I would just hate to see Yaxel in an OKC uniform. I really would, man. Like, [9:11] if we don't get him, like, I'd be cool if, like, any other team drafted him. That's just [9:17] me, man. That's just me. That's just me, 100%. But I did kind of want to get into the, [9:23] you know, the possible move-up segment. Before we get into Trajan Langdon and how aggressive [9:29] the Detroit Pistons want to be in the trade market, we have to talk about our sponsors [9:37] over at FanDuel. And we already have future NBA odds going up, you guys. Absolutely love [9:44] this time of year because if you guys just wanted to project, like, six months out, you [9:50] definitely can. And we have the 2026-2027 NBA final odds by FanDuel. So San Antonio and OKC [10:01] are both at a plus 250 to win the NBA finals. Then you have the Boston Celtics at a plus 550. [10:08] Why is Boston that high? Is it because they're getting Giannis? Don't know, man. I think that [10:15] Giannis trade is going to be a very big trade. I could see multiple teams getting involved in it. [10:21] But the defending champs, the New York Knicks are only a plus 800. And it looks like they're [10:25] running it back pretty much. They're not going to go in the second apron. So maybe they lose [10:30] Mitchell Robinson. Don't know, you know, what his market could be. But, you know, the Knicks are [10:35] a plus 800. Denver Nuggets plus 2,200. I know they're going to try to be retooling to try to save [10:41] money because their cap sheet is just a mess right now. And then you got your Detroit Pistons at a plus [10:48] 2,500. So, you know, Vegas thinks that the Detroit Pistons will be one of the top teams [10:54] in the NBA next year. So, I mean, plus 2,500 for the NBA finals. Throw 10 bucks on it. You never [11:00] know, man. Never know. I mean, I threw 10 bucks on the 44 and a half last year and we won 60. So, [11:07] I was honestly just kind of looking at it and I was laughing. I was like, yo, like you never know. [11:12] You never know. But I do want to get back into the podcast with you guys. Now, Trajan was kind of [11:19] asked about, you know, possibly being aggressive, which these past two press conferences, man, like [11:25] he has been just so, so, I want to say patient with these reporters because like a lot of the [11:36] questions are just like the same. Are you going to be aggressive? Are you going to make a big move? [11:40] And this was a quote that I grabbed from Omari. I'm going to make a graphic for it, but it says, [11:45] we have to look at everything and that's what we're going to do in trade and free agency. Now, [11:51] I think there's been a lot of names when you kind of look at the Detroit Pistons and the rumor mill. [11:59] And I want to really emphasis rumor mill. I think there are a lot of aggregated accounts that link [12:07] certain players to the Detroit Pistons. I, I, I, I really do. Um, I think we, we've talked about [12:14] the Trey Murphy stuff, which we'll talk about, you know, more this week on the podcast. Um, there's [12:19] been Kyrie, there's been Kawhi. Now I was talking with my producer and we went back and forth with [12:29] the list last night because we knew we were going to be doing a podcast because Trajan was going to be [12:33] talking and we want to do a live stream for you guys. And we came up with the list. Now I'll say [12:38] there are some players on this list that I don't agree with, but I'm going to put it on the screen [12:43] for you guys. You guys can debate if you agree with any of these players that maybe there's a [12:48] player on here that maybe is under the radar. You think the Pistons could possibly trade for, [12:55] but you know, Trajan kind of saying like, you know, we're going to be looking at everything, [12:59] you know, via trade and free agency. So these would be trade targets a hundred percent. So obviously [13:04] Trey Murphy, everything that, you know, we've heard that's been reported from [13:10] Mark Stein and other NBA national reporters that there has been, you know, some interest [13:15] level from the Detroit Pistons and, you know, Trajan drafted them. We have a lot of former [13:21] New Orleans Pelicans, um, employees, whether that's in the front office, um, whether that's [13:28] on the coaching staff, uh, there, there's a lot of, you know, connections between the [13:32] Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Pelicans. So Trey Murphy, obviously number one. Now producer [13:38] Tyler thinks that case and Wallace could be a name. Now me and him went back and forth with [13:45] this because he said, you know, he said that he was just focusing on his game and he might [13:51] not sign an extension with OKC. I think if it gets to a point where case and Wallace has [13:57] another good season, like he did this year, maybe OKC does have to trade him because he [14:02] could get a little bit too expensive and they just have a plethora of picks coming. Um, maybe [14:06] they have a player that they, they feel that can kind of fit into the case in, uh, Wallace [14:11] role. I mean, there's reports about them trying to package two of their draft picks to trade [14:16] up in this draft. I mean, the Clippers have been reported of possibly looking to move the [14:22] pick. Maybe the Clippers get two picks at, uh, 12 and 17 from OKC. Um, and OKC is able [14:29] to get into the top five. Like, could they get like, uh, Michael Brown Jr. Could they [14:35] get a Keaton Wagler? Who knows? Maybe case and Wallace could be expendable to OKC. That's [14:41] a lot of what ifs and a lot of possibilities, but producer Tyler really liked case and Wallace [14:48] with this one, Lori marketing, which I feel like we've been talking about Lori marketing [14:53] at nauseam. I'm like hitting my head on the wall when we talk about trade targets with [14:57] Lori marketing, like Lori to me, I think when you look at Utah, Utah is going to be better [15:04] next year. I think Utah is going to be a legit playoff team. Um, you know, they're going to [15:09] have the number two overall pick who's going to be there at number two. That is going to [15:14] be interesting. Could it be AJ DeBansa? Could it be Darren Peterson? I don't know. I really [15:22] don't know. You look at their front court. They just traded for Darren Jackson Jr. Walker [15:28] Kessler. I think most likely is going to stay in Utah. Um, obviously restricted free agency [15:34] right now. He's kind of like upset that Utah only offered him 28 million a year, but you [15:39] know, you, you have a pretty solidified front court. I do believe they're going to push Lori [15:46] to small forward. So, I mean, you're, you're going to have a front court of, you know, you [15:50] know, possibly Walker Kessler, um, Darren Jackson Jr. and then Lori marketing is your small forward. [15:58] Um, does he become expendable if they draft Cameron Boozer? I'm not sure. I'm not sure [16:04] if Utah kind of wants to, you know, get into this close to second apron with possibly resigning [16:11] Walker Kessler. I don't know how expensive it's going to get, but Lori is a name I would [16:16] keep an eye on. I know that there's been reports that they've asked for a SAR in previous, uh, [16:22] conversations. I want to say just conversations, but I would keep an eye on Lori. I think he [16:29] makes a whole lot of sense for the Detroit Pistons. If you can get him without giving up [16:34] a SAR Thompson and that's a big, what if right? Another name producer Tyler really likes Jabari [16:41] Smith Jr. Um, again, we went back and forth with this one as well. Uh, he thinks that Jabari [16:49] Smith Jr. Could be gettable with Houston. Obviously they did not have the playoffs that they wanted. [16:58] I think, I think Jabari Smith does kind of, you know, fill a need if you're Detroit, when you're [17:05] looking at the power forward position, because I've said at multiple podcasts, I think that's the [17:10] one position. If you're the Pistons, you really have to try to get a long-term four. Does Jabari [17:16] Smith kind of fit into the Detroit Pistons system? Uh, we know he can hit threes. I'm kind of a little [17:23] bit lower on him, but I don't know what the price would be. I don't really have a good gauge on like [17:28] what a Jabari Smith Jr. price would be. Um, but Hey, you never know. Houston may be looking for [17:37] more guard depth. Obviously Fred VanVleet is coming back there. I think that's the one thing [17:43] with them. When you watch last year, obviously him being injured, they didn't have a point guard. [17:47] Uh, the Pistons do, uh, have some guards that don't really know how you could kind of make the [17:53] contracts work. Um, I know we don't really use Marcus Sasser that much. I mean, he'd go, go back [17:58] to Houston where he played college. I don't know. Maybe you can kind of just throw in like Marcus [18:03] Sasser and some salary filler to make it work. Don't know if Houston would want to move off [18:07] from him. So don't know. Uh, next one is Zach Levine. Now Zach Levine is on the final year of [18:15] a contract, right? But it's a big one. It's a, it's a $50 million contract. So to me, this is [18:21] kind of like a flyer. Like if it works cool, if it doesn't, it doesn't. And the Kings are in a [18:26] situation right now where they, to me are going to be rebuilding for the next couple of years. [18:33] That's why they're willing to try to move off the Montez Sabonis. That's why wouldn't surprise [18:39] me if you do see some teams kind of sniff around Zach Levine. Now I do know right before the Pistons [18:46] were getting ready to trade for him a few years ago, when he was in Chicago, he elected to have [18:51] ankle surgery versus, you know, getting traded to Detroit. But again, that was during the Monty [18:56] Williams era. Um, maybe he didn't want to play on an organization that he didn't feel that was going [19:02] to trend in a winning direction. But you know, Zach Levine as a backcourt mate next to Cade, [19:10] I think checks a lot of boxes in the scoring department. Defensively, we know he's just a [19:14] cone. Like he's not a good defender. Um, again, like I said, it to me, the risk wouldn't be as high [19:21] just because of the last year of the salary of him being a free agent. And producer Tyler is just [19:27] an absolute sicko. He made me put Jamal Murray in this one. Jamal Murray, is that a really big deal? [19:35] Like a really big deal. I actually want to look up his contract as I'm talking to you guys. But [19:39] again, I see what he's going for with kind of like the archetype of players to try and [19:46] prepare and extricate Cunningham. So he signed a four year, 207 million dollar contract. And I think [19:55] that contract just went into effect a couple of seasons ago. Yeah. So he won't be a free agent [20:00] until 2930. And he's going to be on a 50 million dollar cap hit 53, 57. I think they get to that [20:10] at adds a lot of, you know, cap space gymnastics. I don't really know how a Jamal Murray Cade [20:17] Cunningham backcourt would look. I think it's incredibly expensive, but you would have him [20:23] under contract. I think when Jamal Murray's right, he's a very underrated guard. But I think it's just [20:29] a little bit too rich for me personally as a trade target. I understand what a producer is looking at [20:37] as kind of like a combo guard that can fill it up, score at all three levels. And you could either [20:43] have Cade or Jamal Murray playing in the backcourt, kind of similar to Zach Levine in a sense, right? [20:48] Where, you know, you have these combo guards that can assist, play, make, and score. I think that's [20:53] kind of like what the Pistons are looking at possibly. Next one, Jalen Brown. Jalen Brown to me, [21:01] it's an interesting name. I don't know if Boston is going to trade him. I think there's more smoke [21:06] than actual truth with a lot of these trade rumors with Jalen Brown. If there's a Giannis trade, [21:11] maybe he is involved. But when I kind of look at Jalen Brown again, I think the pairing next to [21:18] Cade could work. But you're going to need a more stable playmaker with both of those guys. You're [21:25] going to need an additional guard out there that doesn't turn the ball over a whole lot. Because [21:30] the one thing about Jalen Brown is he's a turnover machine at times. Same with Cade Cunningham. He has [21:39] lapses where he just turns the ball over a lot. Fit-wise, I think he's very expensive as well. But [21:45] when you just made the second round, you're trying to win a championship. I think this is the type of [21:49] names that you're probably looking at as a front office. But you know, I had to throw Jalen Brown's [21:54] name in there. You never really know what's going to happen with Boston, with the Giannis trade. There [22:00] could be multiple teams getting involved in this trade and a lot of players getting rerouted to new [22:05] teams. But that's a mention. I honestly think that he is definitely a name that I think could [22:17] possibly be on the move if Giannis is Delta Boston. But again, I don't know. Kyrie Irving, even though [22:30] Dallas just said, we're not moving on from Kyrie Irving, we want to see the type of mentor he can be [22:38] with Cooper Flagg. I think when you just kind of look at, again, the archetype, like we have like [22:44] these guards that could shoot, these guards that can get a bucket. Like Kyrie Irving makes a whole [22:50] lot of sense. He is coming off a very serious injury, has not played organized basketball [22:54] in over 18 months. So there is definitely a red flag there. I know Detroit and Minnesota have been [22:59] the two teams that did call about Kyrie. Obviously, they would make a whole lot of sense for [23:04] Minnesota having a Kyrie backcourt. I think a Cade Cunningham and Kyrie backcourt too. [23:10] It makes a whole lot of sense. But it looks like Dallas is going to hold on to him. Who knows? [23:15] Maybe down the line, maybe at the trade deadline, maybe Dallas is in the position they want to be. [23:20] And Kyrie is still relatively healthy. Maybe the Pistons can convince Dallas to make a move. But [23:26] Dallas is under a brand new regime with Masai Ujiri. So it really depends on how he wants to move [23:35] with this new Dallas front office. They obviously value him as a champion and a mentor and a veteran [23:44] to Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks. Kawhi Leonard, obviously, I know there's been a lot of reports. [23:49] You know, the conversation, I know Hunter Patterson had reported it, that it would either be Jalen [23:54] Dern or Sarah Thompson just to get the ball rolling for Kawhi. Very similar to Zach Levine in a sense [24:00] where, you know, finally you have a contract, you know, low risk. If it works, cool. If it doesn't, [24:07] it doesn't. But like the Kawhi thing, I'm still waiting with the aspiration things. I don't know [24:14] what's going to happen with the Clippers. Like this contract could get voided and he could be a [24:18] free agent sign anywhere. So don't really know with Kawhi. Tyler Hero was a little bit lower on the [24:24] tier, kind of up there with like the Cason Wallaces and the Jabari Smith Juniors. [24:28] I think Tyler Hero definitely makes sense for the Detroit Pistons in the shooting aspect [24:33] of having more of a three-point shooter. He can also put the ball on the floor and playmake a [24:38] little bit. Having Tyler Hero and Duncan Robinson on the same team kind of makes you think like [24:44] Detroit's just trying to be the Miami Heat in a sense because we're getting like a lot of their [24:49] forward players. But I do believe Tyler Hero, if he is traded, it will be a reroute for a Giannis trade. [24:56] I don't know if the Pistons could call Miami right now, trade for Tyler Hero. And we feel pretty good [25:05] about like what we're getting. I think it would have to kind of be a reroute with Hero going to [25:10] Detroit. Giannis going to Miami if they do like the package that Miami is offering, which who knows, [25:17] man, this Giannis trade sounds like it could be up in the air for quite some time. And the final one, [25:23] Michael Porter Jr., obviously there was a lot of reporting going into last deadline that MPJ [25:31] could have been possibly a Piston. But, you know, there was definitely, I think, some disagreement [25:40] of what the Pistons were willing to possibly give up. I know off the record when I was talking to [25:49] some Brooklyn Nets podcasters that, you know, Ron Holland was a name that they really liked and [25:55] really wanted. And Detroit wasn't willing to, you know, include Ron Holland and MPJ trade that [26:00] included, you know, Tobias Harris and multiple firsts. So maybe the asking price has gone down [26:05] a little bit. MPJ is a guy that's under contract for a couple more years. I think from the three point [26:13] aspect, he does make a whole lot of sense. Had probably one of his best seasons statistically [26:17] shooting the basketball and, you know, kind of being the guy in Brooklyn. Now you wouldn't really [26:22] ask him to be the guy in Detroit. He would be more of a secondary option next to Kate Cunningham [26:26] and Jalen Duren. But Hey, you never really know with a Michael Porter Jr. trade down below. I do [26:34] want to give a big shout out to producer Tyler for, you know, making this graphic, putting it together [26:39] for you guys today, really last minute. Um, case and Wallace one has me intrigued though. It does [26:45] because, uh, with all the, you know, talk and all the reporting that has been going on right now, [26:52] um, you know, with OKC possibly trying to, you know, trade up, um, in this draft and, you know, [26:59] maybe getting another guard, one of those, those guards, um, at five, like I think Mikel Brown makes [27:05] a whole lot of sense for them or I keep Wagler if he does fall, but man, this draft is going to be [27:11] really entertaining, but with the Pistons possibly being aggressive in the trade market, I think [27:16] there's a lot of options for them to get better. Um, something else that Trajan did, uh, talk about [27:23] that I wanted to, uh, put on the screen, um, with you guys is like long-term outlook for the Detroit [27:30] Pistons. And what he said, uh, with the reporters earlier this morning was this, and it says, quote, [27:41] getting better means you have to win the second round to get better. Uh, we have to get more [27:48] equipped to win in the post season. And that's what we're looking at. Now, obviously when, when we [27:54] reflect on this season, we reflect on the Pistons, right? So they go from 44 to 60, which is a huge [28:05] jump. You have number one seed, you get out of the first round, you force a game seven in the second [28:10] round, one game away from possibly seeing the Knicks in the Eastern Conference final. I think [28:15] Trajan in this front office understand that for the Detroit Pistons to get better, right? For them to [28:22] get better. I honestly believe that you have to make the proper steps to get Kate Cunningham more [28:31] help long-term. Now, I think what we've seen a lot is we've seen these marginal, and I'm going to use [28:41] a baseball term, like Trajan has made a lot of singles. He's made those marginal moves like, you [28:47] know, trading for Tim Hardaway Jr. and getting some second round picks out of it, signing Malik Beasley, [28:52] who we're going to talk about towards the end of the podcast. At the deadline, training for Dennis [28:57] Schroeder and basically getting him for nothing. You know, this year, you kind of had to pivot. You [29:04] trade Simone Funtac, you have to get Duncan Robinson. You, you know, sign Karis Levert to a two-year [29:10] mid-level exception. You haven't really made a big splash or a homerun move. They've been a lot of [29:18] singles and some of them have hit and some of them just haven't. And that's okay. Like Javante [29:25] Green to me, I think is probably his best free agent acquisition, in my personal opinion, in my [29:31] opinion anyways. But I do think that for this team to get more equipped to win in the postseason, [29:39] you're going to have to make moves where maybe you are saying goodbye to a player that is on the bench, [29:46] that maybe you could get a guy that could be a secondary option. Maybe you could get more of [29:52] that playmaking that this organization and this front office keeps talking about. Maybe you can [29:57] get more shooters on this team. I really think if we had better three-point shooting this year, [30:02] we probably could have made a deeper playoff run. We just relied so much on Duncan Robinson. [30:08] Cade's three-point shot did come alive towards really late at the end of the season, especially in [30:14] the playoffs. I think the Pistons need more spacing around Cade Cunningham. Having Tim and Malik, [30:22] Trajan's first year, I think was a really good recipe. But solely focusing on Duncan Robinson [30:29] and Javante Green and other players, I think you need more of just three-point snipers on the [30:37] perimeter with this team. And also having a secondary ball handler, I think is something that this [30:42] organization is looking at as well. I mean, if you can get a guy that does both of those at once, [30:47] you kind of, you know, two birds with one stone, right? But players like that are, you know, [30:51] pretty expensive and hard to come by. But I think when you're Detroit and you look at the draft picks [30:57] that they have, they have 15 second round picks. They own all their first round picks. There's no more [31:03] protections on them. So they have multiple first round picks that they can offer. So it really depends [31:10] which players are looking at, but I think they're looking at the archetype of like a combo guard. [31:16] They can play next to Cade in the backcourt. I know we talked last week with Wes about, you know, [31:21] Danish Jenkins possibly becoming that. I like DJ, but I think DJ is going to be more of a six man [31:27] off the bench for the Pistons that can close games with Cade if you need them to, or just kind of be [31:32] like that, that backup point guard. But, you know, improving the team long-term, I think, for Trajan [31:37] Langdon and the Detroit Pistons, I think they're looking at all avenues. I think they're looking at, [31:39] at all avenues. I think they're looking at multiple players in the trade market. That's why it seems [31:44] like every other day we get a report that the Pistons are interested in somebody else, but did [31:50] want to kind of touch on that with, uh, with you guys for a couple of minutes. Now we have a Malik [31:58] Beasley update kind of now Trajan was asked about Malik Beasley, and I'm going to read the quote from [32:05] Trajan. And he says, no, I have not meaning. I haven't talked to Beasley. Uh, he doesn't have [32:13] an agent right now, so that would be hard. I have not talked, uh, to him about coming back to the [32:19] Pistons. Now it is worth noting that the Pistons still hold on to Malik Beasley's non-bird rights. [32:25] Um, if he does get cleared, if he does, um, and is able, I should say to play in the NBA again, [32:33] um, the Pistons could offer him a one year, $7 million contract because they do hold on to [32:38] his non-bird rights. Still, they have not relinquished them. Now, why I want to talk [32:42] about this and why this is interesting. Cause I do see a lot of people saying, well, Beasley said he [32:48] was talking to his agent on Neon's stream. And we have the clip of Beasley talking, um, on the phone [32:55] in the car because his agent didn't call him. So I'll, I'll play the clip for you guys. [33:00] Can I call you in like an hour or so? All right, for sure, my guy. Thank you. Yeah, that was my [33:09] agent, man. Let's get it. So somebody had called Beasley when he was with Neon on a stream yesterday [33:17] and said that was my agent. Trajan says like, you know, Beasley doesn't have an agent. Now, [33:22] something I've learned working in social media and sports media is a lot of players in the NBA [33:30] have multiple agents. Uh, I'll give you guys a little backstory. So when I was working at Woodward [33:37] sports, uh, we were doing an event with Jeremy Grant when he was in Detroit and Jeremy Grant had [33:44] two agents. He had his agent that got him the deal, got him his contract. And then he also had a sports [33:51] marketing agent that handled anything, any events that Jeremy Grant could be involved in. [33:59] And this so-called event was a charity, uh, golfing event that Woodward sports hosted. [34:05] And we were able to do that with him. So when Beasley says, I'm talking to my agent, [34:09] he could have gotten a brand new sports agent. His former agency, um, no longer has him on their [34:17] website. He could have hired a brand new agent. Obviously he's playing, he played an old over in [34:21] Puerto Rico, um, this year. Uh, he could have a sports marketing agent. A lot of these NBA players [34:28] have several agents, but I did kind of want to just talk about it a little bit. Again, Malik Beasley [34:34] obviously is still under investigation. Pistons still have his non-bird rights. They haven't [34:39] relinquished those yet. So I think it's really interesting that they they're still holding onto them. [34:44] Um, it'll be, I want to see if they actually relinquish them this year, because I think when [34:52] you look at it, um, he's, you still could technically, you know, sign him if he is cleared [34:58] by the NBA. I don't know if the NBA is going to speed up their investigation whatsoever. I mean, [35:04] look how long it took Terry Rozier case to get solved. And now he wants to get back to the NBA after [35:10] he was found guilty, which is absolutely wild, but they want to talk to you guys for a little bit. [35:16] There are a couple of questions that I want to go over, um, with you guys and some comments with [35:21] this podcast. Like I promised I would. So let's kind of get into that part of the podcast with you [35:30] guys. So let's get into a few of them. So, uh, John Doe wants to know, is there a way to watch the [35:39] full pressure? The Pistons, uh, admins are slacking. I'm not entirely sure there might've [35:45] been like a Brad Galley. I know Brad Galley. If you want to go over to his YouTube channel, [35:51] maybe he posted it. I don't know if he was down there. Um, in the event that the Pistons maybe [35:58] do upload it, it might be later tonight, John Doe, where you get to hear Trajan talk about the draft [36:04] and, uh, stuff like that. But again, it was probably like a really boring 20 minute, uh, [36:10] conversation, uh, second effort NBA. I would trade up for Yax. So not sure about car. I think he would [36:18] prefer in a Corey slash starts to car plus the future first. I can understand like maybe some [36:26] fans not being as sold on Cameron car. I, I, I do think though, um, when you kind of look at the [36:36] power forward position, Yax has checked so many boxes. Um, you would prefer a book, a Corey or [36:43] Bennett starts. If I had to take my pick between a book, a Corey, Bennett starts and Christian [36:50] Anderson. I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm probably go in like, if you want more of a downhill driver and [36:58] a point guard, that's going to get paint touches for our big cause like a Corey would be really, [37:04] um, at the top of my board, he'd probably be number one. Christian Anderson would be two [37:09] and then starts would be three. Uh, my, my thing with starts is like, yeah, he's got the NBA range. [37:14] Yeah. He, um, you know, can get to his spots. I just kind of wonder about the athleticism at the [37:20] next level. I'm not really entirely sure that, you know, Bennett starts, um, to me, let me rephrase [37:31] it. I'm just not really sold on the kid. Uh, I I'm just not, I think he'll be a good prospect, [37:36] but I think a Corey and Anderson to me, I think make a little bit more sense. Um, but it does [37:43] sound like, I know you had posted on your Twitter account that the Pistons are doing a lot of their [37:48] homework on, um, a book of Corey with his AAU tape in his high school tape, which I mean, when you [37:57] kind of just look at it guards, like, uh, I think a Corey does have a really good ceiling. It's funny. [38:03] We had, um, James Barlow from NBA draft junkies on last night. And when I talked about a book of [38:12] Corey, I mean, he told me like, he could see him going as high as like the heat pick. There's like [38:18] no Giannis trade really unfolding and saying like, you know, the heat really don't have a guard like [38:23] him on their roster. And like, I've heard so much, um, praise with Corey, you know, in, in these, [38:32] these draft talks with a lot of these, you know, NBA draft evaluators, like they, they think he could go [38:36] as high as 16. Um, you know, last night, James had to say, Hey, Miami could draft them. Like they [38:42] could have a back court, um, you know, of like a Norm Powell, a book of Corey, um, a Davion Mitchell. [38:50] Um, I think when you talk about a Corey, he kind of does fit the bill of heat culture. Um, but I do [38:55] think when you look at Moxie, he was like really lowly rated. Don't know if that's because he was at [39:01] Stanford or he got off to a slow start. But, um, if he's there at 21, I think a lot of [39:06] Pistons fans should be extremely happy. He's just a really, really good player, extremely fast. [39:13] I'm going to, I think if you guys do, you know, watch the tape, um, you'll, you'll fall in love [39:18] with the kid. Sturge literally plays like Cade. I think in a sense where like they're methodical [39:28] and they like to get to their spots. I, I kind of agree. I, I, I, I'm just not really sold on him. [39:35] I, I, I, every time I watch it, I just like, yeah, the shot making is incredible. I, I just [39:41] don't know. Like he's a big question mark for me. I just, I'm higher on Christian Anderson [39:46] and a book of Corey, but that's just me. Everyone has their preferences. Like I've seen some people [39:50] absolutely love, um, Bennett Sturtz. They absolutely love Christian Anderson. Um, they, [39:57] they love a book of Corey. Like there, there's just so many guards, but, uh, my point is that [40:04] the type of play style translate quite as well. I will see, man. We'll see. Like, like when I, [40:09] when I talked to no ceilings, they, they had told me that like every level he's played at, [40:13] he is just stepped up to the challenge and he's been really good. Um, if he goes to Toronto, [40:20] I think that'd be a really good fit for him. I, I think there's definitely room for him. [40:24] Um, with Toronto, I think there'd be room from here in Detroit too. Um, depending if the Pistons [40:29] move off of Marcus Sasser or not, but again, it'll be interesting to see who the Pistons do take. [40:35] At 21. Um, cruiser does have a comment about the Beasley stuff. It seems like Beasley did hook up [40:42] with a new agent. Yeah. I mean, he, he, he, he could have, he really could have, obviously there's [40:47] no record of who that agent is, um, online right now. Um, it, it could be this kind of like a under [40:54] the radar type of agent that got him that deal, uh, to go play for bad bunnies team in Puerto Rico. [40:59] Um, but definitely, uh, you know, Beasley could have got another agent again. I don't really know [41:06] the logistics of it. I just wanted to talk about it with you guys for a little bit. Um, but there's [41:14] that get into a couple more comments and questions. Um, I can't see the nuggets wanting to trade Jamal [41:24] Murray at all. Yeah, me either. I know, uh, a producer thought that, you know, kind of looking [41:28] at the nuggets cap sheet that they could try to look to move off of Jamal Murray because his money's [41:33] just so crazy. Um, but again, like they got Christian Braun, they got Peyton Watson, who they [41:40] probably can't afford to pay. So I, I think it's just the thing where like, well, they're probably [41:46] just going to have to do, um, a deal of just kind of shedding salary. But I, I agree with you. I don't [41:53] think Jamal Murray is going anywhere. I'd be really, really, um, curious to see what does [41:59] happen. There's not a bad choice between Bennett Sturtz or Corey, I think almost guaranteed one [42:05] of them. Um, yeah, I mean, like, again, it's, it's preference at that point. Um, again, like I, [42:12] if I had to choose between the two, I probably go Corey over Sturtz. Not to say that I don't think [42:18] Sturtz is a good player. I just prefer a book on Corey over Bennett Sturtz. That's all. Um, but [42:24] don't really see too many more comments. You guys, we're going to wrap up this podcast, [42:28] but I do appreciate you guys watching us. Um, you know, what three o'clock, four o'clock [42:33] in the afternoon, but we will be, um, live again on Sunday. We're going to be joined by [42:39] Sean Murphy. Um, we're going to be getting into a lot of different other topics that we [42:45] kind of touched on a little bit. We'll go a little bit more in depth with those, but I [42:49] appreciate you guys listening in, um, on this podcast today, obviously, you know, with [42:56] the draft coming up really, really soon. Um, you know, it, it, it, it's going to be [43:02] interesting. I, I, I could definitely see, uh, some trades during this draft. I think [43:08] draft is going to be, uh, a lot of fun for us. Uh, if the Pistons stay at 21, do they [43:14] trade up? They trade the pick altogether, but I definitely, um, we'll be doing more [43:21] podcasts this week. We'll be doing one on Sunday for sure. Uh, Jay Hart, if you have [43:27] some questions, man, just slide to the, uh, the DMS on Twitter and any questions [43:31] you do have, uh, uh, I can answer them, um, there for you, but appreciate all you [43:36] guys watching over the past 40 minutes. Hope you guys have a great rest of your [43:40] day and as always go Pistons. We'll see you guys really soon. Peace.