NBA Trade Idea Presents Pistons’ Pathway to Phoenix Suns Sharpshooter

Is there another Phoenix Suns player the Detroit Pistons should have on their radar?

Nov 5, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

While the Detroit Pistons seem unlikely to give the Phoenix Suns a call for Kevin Durant, that doesn’t mean Trajan Langdon and the Detroit front office can’t pivot to another player.

It might not be fire sale time in Phoenix, as Devin Booker and Bradley Beal’s presence suggests the team still views itself as a potential contender, but the Suns are clearly in a position where they should mix things up to try and find better results after multiple seasons of witnessing playoff shortcomings.

One hypothetical trade drawn up by Detroit Jock City suggests the Pistons could find a way to take on the veteran sharpshooter Grayson Allen. In the mock deal, the Pistons land Allen in exchange for Simone Fontecchio, Marcus Sasser, and a 2025 second-round pick.

“Adding Allen would be an insurance policy for the departure of Tim Hardaway Jr. or Malik Beasley,” writes Cem Yolbulan. “The Pistons would presumably try to retain Beasley, but if he proves to be out of their price range, Allen could easily replace Beasley, if not be an upgrade over him.”

Oct 8, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) controls the ball in front of Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser (25) during the first half of a pre-season game at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

Allen, a former Duke basketball star, has successfully carved out a role for himself in the NBA as an accurate high-volume shooter from deep. Of course, Cade Cunningham’s Pistons can never get enough of those.

Across seven seasons, Allen has had runs with the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Suns. In over 400 games, he has averaged five shots from deep per game, making his threes at a 41 percent clip. Allen has produced 11 points per game throughout his career.

In a scenario where the Pistons lose Malik Beasley, they would surely need to find a sniper from deep to make up for that loss after the season he just had in Detroit. For the time being, it seems Beasley is a priority for Detroit. After his nearly successful Sixth Man of the Year campaign, Beasley has proven to be a major contributor to Detroit’s shockingly successful year.