Pistons trade Gordon for Maggette

The Bobcats have agreed to send small forward Corey Maggette to the Pistons in exchange for shooting guard Ben Gordon and a 2013 protected first-round pick, a source confirmed to SI.com.

While much of the NBA world was waiting to see if the Bobcats would trade their No. 2 pick in Thursday's draft, they added a player in Gordon who raises their perimeter talent pool significantly while acquiring a future asset as well. The protections on the pick, according to a source involved in the negotiations, are lottery-protected in 2013, top-eight protected in 2014 and only No. 1-protected in 2015 before it becomes unprotected in 2016. The Pistons, meanwhile, dumped Gordon's combined salary of $25.6 million over the next two seasons while taking on Maggette and his expiring deal worth $10.9 million.

It remains to be seen how this trade will affect the draft, as Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal was known to be an option if the Bobcats held onto their pick. Yet with Gordon on board, Charlotte would seem to have more of a need for someone like Kansas forward Thomas Robinson, North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes or Kentucky small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.