Thus far, the most active team in the NBA ahead of the deadline tomorrow afternoon has been the Detroit Pistons. They were the surprising landing spot for sharpshooter Simone Fontecchio, sending Kevin Knox, a 2024 second-round pick and the draft rights to Gabriele Procida to the Utah Jazz.
It was certainly surprising to see the Pistons as buyers, but they are determined to avoid setting the NBA record for the worst regular season of all time. The 3-point shooting of Fontecchio, who the team views as a long-term piece of their roster, will assuredly help in that goal.
The second trade with the Pistons is going to be a part of makes more sense given where they are in the standings. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, they are finalizing a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves centered around point guard Monte Morris.
In exchange for Morris, the Timberwolves are sending Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr. and one second-round pick to Detroit. Essentially, when combined with their trade from earlier, the Pistons are netting Fontecchio, Milton and Brown in exchange for Kevin Knox II and Morris.
Morris has been injured for almost the entire 2023-24 NBA season, as he has played in only six games. His minutes have been limited, as he has averaged only 11.3 per game as he ramps up his activity.
He will be going from worst to first, as the Pistons are 6-43, the worst record in the NBA, to the Timberwolves, who are tied for first in the Western Conference at 35-16. He is a solid addition for a Minnesota squad looking to hold onto their spot atop the conference.
When healthy, Morris will provide the Timberwolves with a steady backup behind veteran Mike Conley Jr. Throughout his career, Morris has been one of the most efficient point guards in the NBA with a stellar assist-to-turnover ratio and 38.9 3-point shooting percentage.
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