Photo Credit: Getty Images/Clutch Points.

The NBA Trade Deadline has passed, and it was a pretty wild one. It started off with a bang when the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to L.A. for Anthony Davis. Nobody saw it coming. Then, DeAaron Fox was moved to San Antonio, getting Wemby a legit 2nd option. Plus, Jimmy Butler is now a Warrior, which could be great or terrible, we shall see. The Pistons didn’t add an All-Star, but they did some good work in their own right.

What makes the NBA Trade Deadline unlike other leagues is the amount of movement. I don’t know any other league where a trade will be reported, and then hours later a new leg is added. We saw that a handful of times this deadline. The Pistons got in on the action, as well. The Pistons started off the deadline by trading nothing to the 76ers for Forward KJ Martin and two 2nd round picks. The 76ers needed to get under the apron, and the Pistons were the team that benefited from that. They then got involved with the Jimmy Butler trade, netting themselves G Lindy Waters III, and using KJ Martin in a deal to get Dennis Schroder shortly after he was traded to Utah. They gave up a 2028 2nd round pick, and got a 2031 2nd back. They originally acquired Josh Richardson from Miami, and then flipped him in the same deal to get Schroder.

In all, the Pistons got Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters, and two 2nd round picks, for a 2028 2nd round pick. Not bad at all for Langdon’s first deadline as the Pistons GM. He used the free player they got by helping out the 76ers cap as a bargaining chip to get players that could actually improve the team. Very good job by Langdon.

G, DENNIS SCHRODER:

Schroder is an NBA veteran, in his 12th season on his 9th team. He offers a steady guard presence off the bench. This season, he is averaging 14.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 5.5 APG while shooting 41.8% from the field, and 35.8% from 3, on 29.8 MPG. Obviously, I do expect his minutes to go down a bit in Detroit. Schroder is essentially exactly what Detroit has needed, a primary ball handler for the bench unit who could also play alongside Cade in certain lineups. On top of that, Schroder was acquired essentially for free. This deadline was an absolute masterclass for Langdon. Schroder will fill the Jaden Ivey role while he is gone, and when he gets back, they will all fit together well. Cade is the primary guy, Ivey as the secondary, and Schroder as the 6th man. You could even have all 3 on the court at the same time, especially at the end of games. I really like this Schroder addition, as I have always been a fan, and he fits what the Pistons have been looking for all season. I am excited to see him play. I saw him play in Detroit live a few years ago when OKC was in town. He is the type of player who will average a solid, steady scoring output, but could also win you some games. He will likely have a few big scoring games off the bench, as well. The addition will alleviate some pressure from Cade, while also rejuvenating the bench units scoring ability. Schroder will also be a big help in the playoffs with his veteran presence. I am a really big fan of this deal, and I expect it to be a huge difference maker for the rest of the season.

GRADE: A. Honestly, this is a perfect trade for where Detroit currently is. Pistons fans cannot ask for better. You flipped a guy you got for free, for a player that fits what you desperately need. I expect Schroder to be a huge help, especially in the playoffs. This could put the Pistons over that hump.

G, LINDY WATERS:

Waters is a solid depth addition, at 27 years old, he offers a sort of veteran presence as well. Having played for OKC and Golden State, he brings in some winning pedigree. He is currently averaging 5.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.1 APG while shooting 37.1% from the field and 33.1% from 3 on 17.2 MPG. Not exactly great production with the minutes, but it’s not terrible either. Waters will likely add a solid depth piece who can offer some scoring at the bottom of the rotation. He’s a solid shooter, and a longer, bigger guard, which helps with his defense. I don’t expect Waters to be a huge difference maker, but he could help out in some important ways.

GRADE: B. This move doesn’t excite me like the Schroder trade, but it’s still a solid addition nonetheless. I don’t see it as a real needle mover, but Waters could offer some help at he end of the rotation. Plus, you got him essentially for free. Can’t beat that.

REVIEW:

With all of that said, a lot of Pistons fans might be a bit disappointed. You shouldn’t be. Langdon made some solid additions, without giving up any real capital. I know Pistons fans would’ve liked to see an addition like Brandon Ingram, but it just wasn’t realistic for this team at this time. The Pistons are not in “win now” mode. They are in “get a little bit better every day” mode. This is a Pistons team who sat at the bottom of the standings last season, and now they are sitting at 7th in the East, only 4.5 games back from the 4 seed. If you ask me, that is a win already, especially with Cade having a breakout season. What Detroit did this deadline was improve the roster while keeping all of the blocks in place. They are a playoff team, and they needed some scoring help, which they got. I am excited to see how this new team looks, especially once Ivey is back. I expect Detroit to make some noise in the playoffs, and that will lead to them making a bigger “splash” move in the off-season. They are a much more enticing spot for players than they have been in years. Things are looking up in the Motor City.

OVERALL GRADE: B+

The Pistons had a very solid deadline, adding some much needed scoring help, while not giving up any real capital. I would give it an A, but there were reportedly even more deals in talks that fell through. I would’ve liked a little bit more aggression from Langdon, but I also understand why there wasn’t. The Pistons are likely to be a playoff team for the first time since 2015, and these moves will help that cause.