1984Echoes

I hope AJ did tell Keith "3rd base is yours and I won't PH for you...". Peace of mind and all...

This is NOT an absolute requirement. I'll let Trajan do the strategy for the Pistons and be happy with it. Whichever direction he goes. If he believes it's worth it to pay the price and go with a Murphy trade... I'll be on board. But it is NOT an (changing the mindset) absolute requirement... IMO.

Zach Edey (9th overall), born 3-14-2002. 7' 3" center drafted to rebound, rim-protect, score. 1st year 22 min's/game, 9.2 pts avg. on 61.2/34.5/70.9 shooting. 8.3 rebounds per 22 min's, 1.3 blocks. Injured his 2nd year so incomplete. Although he did start out (in 11 games) at 13.6 pts 1.9 blocks and 11.1 rebounds in 25.8 min's. Devin Carter (13th overall), 3-18-2002. Scoring (but not very efficient) PG. 1st year 11 min's per game, last year 18.4 min's/ game. 8.9 points in 18 min's on 51.1/26.3/71.3 shooting, 0.9 steals, 2.7 assists to 1.4 to's. Meh. But still a contributor. Dalton Knecht (17th overall), 4-19-2001. Shooting guard but no D (not a 3&D guy) so 19 min's/game his 1st year and 10 min's (no D) his 2nd year. His 1st year he scored 9.1 pts on 59.4/37.6/76.2 shooting. So he did what he was drafted to do. Tristan Da Silva (18th overall), 5-15-2001. Shooting wing. 22 minutes/game 1st year, started 34 games 2nd year with 24.7 min's average last year. 9.9 pts on 53.2/37.4/88.4 shooting. 3.7 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 1.6 assists to 0.9 TO's... Jaylon Tyson, 20th, 12-2-2002, last year 13.2 pts on 53/44.6/73.8 shooting. 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 stocks. Kyshawn George, 24th overall, 12-12-2003 (20 at time of the draft, very similar to Allen Graves (who is 20) and I'm interested in him...). Shooting wing. Almost immediate starter. Last year 29 min's, 14.8 pts on 48.6/38.1/80.2 shooting. 1.9 stocks. 5.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists. What did you do Buddha? Pick only SECOND ROUNDERS? I don't want four SECOND ROUNDERS, I want extra FIRST ROUNDERS. Are you telling me that you would NOT WANT Tristan Da Silva on the Pistons? Right now? Jaylon Tyson? Kyshawn George? Are you kidding me? Yeesh... you CHERRY-picked. You LOOKED for the bottom of the barrel. Not interested. I want Trajan drafting. NOT YOU buddha.

I'm just going to WAG here... AJ told him on Sunday morning: "Hey, I'm just going to give you 3B for a while and not pinch hit for you... see what you can do with that." Resulting in...

I don't need all-stars. Just some 3&D competency. Depth players (initially, after the draft) that are at least good enough to eventually start. Support-level players (initially) that help this team get wins. In the playoffs.

I would say it this way: If we somehow end up with three 1sts and an early 2nd this year... I would WAG that Trajan has identified specific players that he believes can help the team... both in the short-term and in the long-term. And makes the moves necessary to get/draft those players. I trust in Trajan. I trust his judgement. So... We'll see. We'll see what he decides to do to build this team up...

Names from 2024 have ZERO bearing on this year's players. In its simplest terms: It is ALWAYS a case-by-case basis with prospects. I'll let Trajan figure that part out...

If we're trading (4) 1sts or Stew and (3) 1sts to get Murphy... Isn't that also a risk? A huge risk? BTW, you went from "they're taking 4 years until they contribute" to "how many are immediate starters/ contributors?" No matter which direction the team goes... It's a HUGE risk. I prefer the draft and develop risk. And we're in the area of the draft of "not-19 year olds" because they all get picked early, in the lottery. We would be in the area of college seniors who are able to... contribute, meaningfully, early. It's just my 2 cents here.

I would still be interested in EP40. Especially if it involves dumping a salary match contract like Compher. But what do they want and what is a realistic offer that they would end up accepting (they're certainly not getting a pie-in-the-sky offer although that's what they really want...) for EP? Just askin'...

So the search has to be on.., To load this team with as many or as much 3&D as Trajan can obtain. IMO, through the draft. The cheaper the better...

I would love to grab Yaxel or Mo... A couple things here: I don't think these guys are taking 3-4 years before they contribute. That's ridiculous. These aren't 19 year-olds. Cameron Carr is 22 (in early 2026-27 season. Substitute Bennett Stirtz if the team goes that direction and he's... 23. They are immediate starters (either one... pushing Duncan to the bench and making LeVert releasable...). Or, if not, they will be by the end of next season. Josh Jefferson and Allen Graves are bruising Power and Small 3&D forwards who are... 23 and 20 years old. Graves may take a year or two. But the team can still sign Tobias back on a two-year and he can be the starter until one or both push him to the bench. He would have to sign with that in mind. Or maybe he looks elsewhere to sign. IMO, I think Jefferson can also be an immediate starter at PF. And Graves has the higher upside. Henri Veesaar is 22. And if he's only a backup stretch-5/ rim protector... what's the big deal? He's capable of that right now. Plus of course, the typical rookie growing pains... Emanuel Sharp and Bruce Thornton are early 2nd round 3&D point guard/ playmakers. They are 22 and 23. I'm sorry... But I'm on the Trajan Langdon plan: draft guys and develop them. And I see just the right guys to draft this year. Several. So I'm sticking with my plan. get lots of draft picks this year. trade Stew. Chase OKC and Charlotte trying to dump their second 1st rounders... And build this team up with the draft. I'm sticking to my guns. IMHO.

IMHO... I think it is more valuable to the Pistons to add draft picks to the roster, this year, than to do a go-for-broke trade with several future 1sts for a Trey Murphy, even as much as I would desperately want him on this team. Also keep in mind, 1st rounders this year are RFA's after the 29-30 season so... a lot of flexibility with the cap is available that offseason including giving Cade an extension, or not. Possible methods to adding additional 2026 1st rounders: What would the Knicks (Mitch Robinson leaving...?), Spurs, or Thunder give for Stew? Should we trade Stew as part of a Murphy package? or could we get a 2026 1st rounder + back instead from one of these teams? Are the Thunder really looking to get out of their second 1st round pick? The Hornets? That's the rumor at least... I believe. I would trade two future 1sts, or a future 1st plus however many multiple 2nds it would get take to get extra picks this year. Again, IMHO, I think 2026 1st rounders are more important to the Pistons than future picks. I'm looking at guys like Cameron Carr, Allen Graves, Josh Jefferson, Henri Veesaar, Bruce Thornton, etc... To try and add some 3&D forwards, ballhandlers, stretch-4/5, etc... I just think adding multiple options that are young (and yes, will have growing pains), but have talent/upside, rather than just one guy is better for the team long-term/ Cade/ playoffs... etc. IMHO.

I'm thinking the same because I don't believe the Ducks will move McQueen for Larkin. But we've heard a lot of McTavish rumors before... So... I would propose: 1) Larkin for McTavish, no McQueen, I have no interest in any of their D, but I would want to also include getting back from them Nathan Gauther. Another center, but 22, and RH'ed. Grinder type so our new 4th line center and he may also be able to drive some offense. 2) Funnily enough: Their "vet" goalies were disappointing (Husso and Mrazek) and young Dostal's save % during the season was only .888 and in the playoffs .870. Crazy and they probably say no but I include Gibson in this trade. They can have better vet goalie leadership than what they attempted with Mrazek and Husso. We don't want back any of their goalies or their defenseman, so Gibson gets us Gauther. He has some upside. 3) And their 2027 1st and 2nd since they don't have a 2026 1st. Would SY do this if he believes he can get a high 1st rounder this year? Larkin and Gibson for McTavish, Gauther, 2027 1st and 2nd? Is that enough for SY? Should we be getting more draft capital back? 2027 & 2028 1sts instead of 2027 1st & 2nd? Do the Ducks say no? Do they modify the deal because they don't actually want Gibson back? Just some thoughts/ questions/ ideas...

Peck's a RH'er too. Advantage him (based on current Tiger's roster makeup...). And with Torres most likely moving on... (I don't see him being signed again, IMO) that makes an easy opening for McGonigle at 2nd. Unless 2nd is kept open for whomever can win that spot (Anderson? Keith? Lee? Etc...?) and they prefer McGonigle to still be in the SS/3B equation? We'll see soon enough...

Haha! Just keepin' ya on your toes!!!