The New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons have reportedly agreed on a trade that will send Derrick Rose to the Big Apple. After the dust has settled with the trade, it has been revealed that the Knicks will send the Pistons a second-round pick (currently slotted at No. 40) in the 2021 NBA Draft, per The Athletic's James L. Edwards.
The second-round pick, which originally belonged to the Charlotte Hornets, was in the possession of the Knicks. But with New York looking to acquire Rose to provide a spark in the backcourt, they'll be sending that draft pick to Detroit, along with Dennis Smith Jr.
While Smith — if shipped by the Knicks — would give the Pistons another project player at point guard, they were more intrigued to land the 40th overall pick in this year's draft. Detroit, who currently boast a league-worst 5-18 record, is expected to have the best chance among all 30 NBA teams to secure the coveted No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Plus, with NBA scouts claiming the 2021 class as one of the deepest groups in recent memory, the Pistons want to continue adding assets after doing this deal with the Knicks, assuming the trade is eventually completed and doesn't fall through at the 11th hour. Besides their own draft picks, Detroit also owns the second-round pick of the Toronto Raptors that is currently the 39th overall pick. That's another piece of the puzzle Detroit is trying to assemble, in order to emerge from relative mediocrity and stagnation in the Eastern Conference.
This is a multi-step process for the Motown franchise. Seeing that the Pistons aren't anywhere close to being contenders in the Eastern Conference, they are beginning to rid of veteran players in hopes to get younger players and draft capital. The Knicks are in line to be an initial trade partner on the road to a newly constructed roster and a fresh start. Following the trade of Rose, Detroit is proving that their definitive intention moving forward is to build for the future.
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