The Pistons weren’t going to stand pat ahead of the trade deadline. That much was clear the moment they traded for Blake Griffin on Jan. 29 and embarked on their current five-game win streak.
What they had wasn’t going to work, and team president/coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Jeff Bower could see that plainly. They, along with Pistons owner Tom Gores, had been coveting an elite-level player to help carry the load, along with franchise centerpiece Andre Drummond.
In giving up Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley and Boban Marjanovic, along with two draft picks, the Pistons also gave up much of their depth.