The Detroit Pistons should be happy that the 2023-24 season is coming to an end, firstly because they have finally ended this losing season, and secondly, their bottom-of-the-table record will greatly improve their chances of getting the top pick, which will help them in their ongoing rebuild.
But the Pistons need more than just a No. 1 pick, they need to make some trades and get as many picks as possible. Because from 2025 to 2027, they don't have any additional first-round picks other than their own first-round picks, nor do they have a single second-round pick. So accumulating as many draft picks and young players as possible should be a top priority for the Pistons this offseason, and trading a veteran like Evan Fournier can help them do just that.
On the face of it, it doesn't look like the Pistons will get much meaningful in return from the Fournier trade. Because he had been in a bench role with the Knicks for the first two seasons before the New York Knicks traded him to the Detroit Pistons, and the Knicks traded Fournier to the Pistons in exchange for Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic, two fringe players who had fallen out of the rotation. After Fournier arrived with the Pistons, his form did not improve, averaging only 6.8 points per game and shooting only 35.4% from the field.
Fournier may not seem appealing in terms of on-field strength alone, but his contract could be useful to most teams in the league. Fournier has a $19 million team option next season, and while the Pistons won't want to exercise that team option, it's where the Pistons can use Fournier's contract to acquire some additional draft picks for themselves. Such a contract would be very valuable for teams looking for a pay cut, and for the Pistons, any move that would allow them to get an additional first-round pick would be worth a year's salary, so they could fully exercise this team option, and Fournier's $19 million expiring contract would be very attractive for teams with a lot of luxury tax pressure.
But Fournier's crucial role could still be to help the Pistons make a big trade that would have the effect of leveling the salary. The Pistons were reportedly intent on trading Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls before the trade deadline, but unfortunately, LaVine opted to undergo foot surgery at that time and forwent all potential trades.
If the two teams want to restart negotiations, then the Pistons will need Fournier's expiring contract to help reach a deal. LaVine's annual salary will exceed $43 million next season, and even with James Wiseman and Simon Fontecchio's annual salaries, the Pistons still have plenty of salary headroom to bring in LaVine, all that is required is to exercise Fournier's team option and package his contract into a trade plan. But the Bulls will definitely want more, so the Pistons also need to send Jaden Ivey.
Fournier hasn't done anything on the basketball court in the last two years, and his performance alone doesn't bring anything of value to the Pistons or materially return on a trade. But that doesn't mean he's completely worthless, and his contract alone could help the Pistons get some much-needed draft picks or young players to improve the roster, so the Pistons will have to be patient. While exercising Fournier's team option would cost him $19 million, it would also improve their salary flexibility and their chances of getting a draft pick, and they should be open to a potential Fournier trade, don't you think?