Detroit Pistons vs. Denver Nuggets - Friday, Feb. 6, 2015

Detroit Pistons forward Anthony Tolliver (43), shown here grabbing a rebound in Friday's win over Denver, may be the biggest in-season trade the team pulls off after his December acquisition.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

AUBURN HILLS -- To twist a paraphrase of Polonius in Hamlet, neither a buyer nor a seller be.

But if you can pick somebody's pocket, have at it.

The Detroit Pistons play their final three games before the NBA All-Star break in the next four nights, and by the time they return from the eight-day respite, the Feb. 19 trade deadline also will have passed.

Letting it do so without making another deal may be the best decision the Pistons could make.

The Pistons entered Saturday night two games behind eighth-place Brooklyn for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and while the temptation to make moves to end a five-year playoff drought is natural, they benefit in that regard from last summer's front-office makeover. Detroit's problems were the creation of another administration. Today's brass has taken responsible measures, not rash ones, with no overnight fix in sight.

The Pistons have made a remarkable turnaround from 5-23 to 20-31. They have shown some resiliency in the face of point guard Brandon Jennings' season-ending injury. One trade for a top-flight replacement for Jennings, or a go-to wing scorer, might get them into the playoffs.

The price would be high -- a first-round pick, or a player the Pistons would be loathe to give away -- so why chase when the team faces so many roster gaps after this season and absolutely no certainty in this year's playoff pursuit?

The Pistons shouldn't, and probably won't, give away future assets to improve a roster which includes most of the same players responsible for their post-Christmas turnaround, minus Jennings.

The Pistons will have contractual obligations next year to 10 players, including Jennings (injured in January), Josh Smith (released in December), and Aaron Gray (waived in preseason after a medical episode). If Jennings is healthy to start next season, the Pistons are set at point guard and shooting guard.

At small forward, they will have Caron Butler and Cartier Martin (Kyle Singler can become a restricted free agent). At power forward and center they will have Andre Drummond and Anthony Tolliver (Greg Monroe, Jonas Jerebko and Joel Anthony will be unrestricted free agents).

That's a lot of pieces to address, and to do it outside of the draft or free agency, the Pistons would have to give up talent or draft picks in the trade market.

They aren't in much position to do either.

Dealing expiring contracts makes the most sense for the Pistons, such as when Jerebko was floated in talks with Miami recently. But to get a decent return, the Pistons probably have to take on a future salary they don't want, which is what the Heat offered. The Pistons probably could get a second-round pick for Jerebko, but if that's all the value he fetches, they might as well keep him at least this season, and perhaps beyond.

Besides, the Pistons likely aren't inclined to try stockpiling second-round picks any time in the near future. Head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy has emphasized several times that less than half of the players on NBA rosters were drafted by their current teams, so while draft picks have obvious value and won't be given away, they also won't be hoarded.

Monroe has to approve any trade, and almost certainly won't. The Pistons need a third center so Anthony probably won't be moved. The Pistons would like to keep Singler, particularly with Butler's contract expiring after next season, which probably means he isn't traded (although if there is a surprise move before the deadline, Singler's contract uncertainty and $1.1 million salary could have appeal to a team looking to skirt a luxury-tax bill by dumping a contract the Pistons like).

The Pistons were down a point guard until they signed John Lucas III to a 10-day contract last week. Replacing Jennings with Lucas creates an obvious void.

But Jennings spoke effusively last week about his intention to be back for the start of next season after suffering a ruptured left Achilles tendon on Jan. 24, and if he is, the Pistons don't need more depth at that position beyond this season. The Pistons already have Jennings, D.J. Augustin and Spencer Dinwiddie on guaranteed contracts next season. While you never close the door on acquiring a top-flight point guard, it certainly seems more prudent to keep rolling with Lucas rather than do anything that commits the Pistons to a fourth point guard next year.

The Pistons have plenty of decisions to make this summer on their own free agents, and perhaps something upwards of $20 million to spend.

As they talk about trades through the All-Star break, the names floated most by other general managers figure to be the ones the Pistons are unable and/or unwilling to trade -- Drummond, Monroe, Singler, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

The Pistons merely are on the edge of playoff contention, nothing more, and with so many roster holes after this season, they can't trade away chunks of the future to complete this run now. This roster has overcome all manner of obstacles and deserves the chance to see it play out.

The Pistons could make a trade to improve today, at the cost of tomorrow, which benefits neither, and figures to keep them on the deadline sideline.

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