Pistons Interested In Kings’ Marvin Bagley III, But What Would It Take?

The Pistons have some interest in available Kings center/forward Marvin Bagley III, as relayed by Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Especially now, with the Pistons lacking big bodies. But what would it take for Detroit to actually land the Sacramento big man?

James Edwards III and Jason Jones of The Athletic examined, with Edwards being the Pistons beat writer and Jason Jones the Kings writer.

There are a few scenarios, of course, and at this point it’s all just speculation. All we seem to know for sure is the Kings are looking to move Bagley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. It seems Bagley would also like a fresh start elsewhere, as through Friday, he had appeared in just one game and logged a mere 10 minutes.

“Per sources, the Pistons have kept an eye on Bagley and his situation in Sacramento for some time,” Edwards and Jones wrote.

As relayed by Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors, “A package of Josh Jackson and Trey Lyles might work for both sides once those players, who were signed as free agents this summer, become trade eligible.”

For the record, Jackson and Lyles become trade eligible on Dec. 15, when all players who signed offseason deals are eligible. Per Stein, a Bagley move is more probable then.

You can come up with your own scenarios, of course, with one of those ever popular NBA trade machines right here.

Bagley, 22, is 6-foot-11 and has seen his role reduced drastically under coach Luke Walton. Bagley reportedly refused to check into the game during Monday’s loss to the Spurs.

Bagley’s agent also recently ripped the Kings for his client’s lack of playing time.

“It’s clear they have no plans for him in the future, and yet, passed on potential deals at last year’s deadline and this summer based on ‘value,’” agent Jeff Schwartz said in a statement. “Instead they chose to bring him back but not play him, a move completely contradictory to their ‘value’ argument. This is a case study in mismanagement by the Kings organization.”

Bagley will likely never be an All-Star, but he did average better than 14 points and seven rebounds in each of his first three seasons, and perhaps all he needs is a change of scenery to become a productive big man again.

Meanwhile, the Pistons are in rebuild mode, and taking a chance on a player who has shown upside, such as Bagley, might make sense.

That may especially be the case after it was learned the Pistons are losing big man Kelly Olynyk for an extended period to a left MCL sprain.