NBA, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, Ben Gordon, Corey Maggette
The Detroit Pistons have traded Ben Gordon and a future 1st round pick to the Bobcats for Corey Maggette.
Contractually, Ben Gordon is owed $25 million for the next 2 years, while Corey Maggette has an expiring contract worth $10 million. The deal will save the Detroit Pistons roughly $15 million dollars. Furthermore, it will give Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey enough playing time to flourish in the backcourt without competing for minutes with Ben Gordon.
The trade, however, seems a bit more unexplainable for the Charlotte Bobcats. Ben Gordon will now be joining a crowded backcourt with Kemba Walker, D.J. Augustine, and Gerald Henderson. So, it’s hard to see where Ben Gordon will have a significant role even as a 6th man. The good news is that the Bobcats will receive a future 1st round pick, but that pick will be lottery protected in 2013, top 8 protected in 2014, top 1 protected in 2015, and unprotected in 2016.
As far as this year’s draft, if the Bobcats end up keeping their #2 pick, they will more then likely not draft Bradley Beal who is another two guard. Look for them to either trade their draft pick or draft Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (small forward) out of Kentucky or Thomas Robinson out of Kansas (power forward) instead.
