On Wednesday afternoon, the Athletic's Sham Charania reported the Detroit Pistons agreed to send guard Monte Morris to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard Shake Milton, forward Troy Brown Jr., and a 2030 second-round pick.
Morris was a player the Timberwolves had sought after for quite some time. Back in 2017, then Denver Nuggets General Manager, Tim Connelly, selected Morris with the 51st overall pick in the second round.
After only appearing in three contests his rookie year, the Iowa State product proved his worth the following season. Morris appeared in all 82 games, making six starts. He averaged 10.4 points and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Three years later, he was dealt to the Washington Wizards alongside Will Barton in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith. As a member of the Wizards, Morris started 61 of 62 games and averaged a career-high 5.3 assists per game.
Just a year later, the veteran guard was sent east, to the Detroit Pistons. In return, Washington received a second-round pick. Morris only appeared in six games for Detroit, as he missed extended time with a quadriceps strain, followed by a lower-back strain.
In his six appearances this season, the veteran guard only totaled 27 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Hardly the start he envisioned, but after the trade, Morris suddenly finds himself on a squad tied for first in the Western Conference as opposed to the worst team in the league.
The Timberwolves got their guy, while Minnesota added two quality contributors and a future draft pick. Considering the needs of both squads, we'll grade how each team fared in the deal.
Timberwolves acquire backup point guard from Pistons
Following weeks of speculation, the Timberwolves seemingly decided on the best offer and ran with it. Minnesota only had to give up two fringe rotation players and a 2030 second-rounder to acquire Morris.
A backup floor general was easily the biggest Minnesota need at the trade deadline. Lacking a true reserve point guard, the Timberwolves relied on Jordan McLaughlin, Milton, and even Kyle Anderson to initiate the offense with starter Mike Conley on the bench.
The 36-year-old Conley has been shouldering a heavy burden this year. In 46 appearances, Conley averages 29.2 minutes per game. His usage rate is the lowest it's ever been, but adding another ball-handler to the lineup seemed surefire.
The aforementioned Milton was brought in to fill said role. However, the former Philadelphia 76er profiles better as a scoring guard than an initiator. His season-high in assists per game occurred a year ago when he averaged 3.2 dimes per contest.
This season, in a career-low 12.9 minutes per game, Milton has averaged just 1.3 assists to 0.7 turnovers per game. His entire offensive game has seen a dip in production. The SMU product is averaging only 4.7 points and shooting a paltry 40.0 percent from the floor and 26.4 percent from downtown.
Milton's counterpart, Brown Jr., has enjoyed a better season, but not by much. In a smaller role than he held a year ago, the former Los Angeles Laker has averaged 4.2 points and 1.9 rebounds on 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 36.9 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Other than the two former Timberwolves, the Pistons are acquiring a distant second-round pick. Although not prevalent, any additional draft capital is a boon for Detroit. As a rebuilding squad, it's necessary to stockpile as many draft assets as possible a la the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Next, we'll analyze and grade the trade for each squad, keeping in mind Minnesota's title aspirations and Detroit's need for future cap flexibility.
Grading the trade for the Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are outright sellers at the deadline. After already making two separate trades, Detroit has now made a third, shipping out a veteran for two players and a draft pick.
In the first deal, Detroit sent multiple draft picks, Isaiah Livers and former second-overall pick Marvin Bagley III to the Wizards for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala.
The sole reason Detroit executed this trade was to preserve future cap flexibility. Bagley III was on the books for $25 million over the next two seasons, while Livers was slated to become a restricted free agent in the offseason. Conversely, Gallinari and Muscala are playing on expiring contracts.
Next, the Pistons traded wing Kevin Knox II and a second-round pick for the Utah Jazz's Simone Fontecchio. The 28-year-old forward has played well so far this year. He's averaging 8.9 points while shooting 39.1 percent from distance.
The most recent deal involved yet another veteran, Morris. The veteran guard is playing out the last year of the three-year contract he signed in 2021. In exchange for Morris, Detroit received two players on multi-season deals.
However, there's a catch. Although both Brown Jr. and Milton signed two-year pacts, both of the player's contracts are non-guaranteed in their second seasons. Essentially, Detroit added two potential contributors and a future draft pick for a player who was unlikely to re-sign.
Instead of finding time for Morris, the Pistons can now shift their focus to rookie guard Marcus Sasser. In 44 games, Sasser has played exceptionally well backing up Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. The Houston product has shot 48.4 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from 3-point range while averaging less than a turnover per game.
The Pistons receive a B for this trade. Milton and Brown Jr. are certainly capable of making a difference, but more efficient shooters should have likely been prioritized. The second-round pick is a plus, but Detroit did just trade Morris for a 2027 second-rounder in the 2023 offseason.
Grading the trade for the Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves knew upgrading the reserve unit was of the essence. First off, Minnesota lacked a true backup point guard. Milton faltered in the role, while McLaughlin hasn't inspired much confidence.
After showing interest in former guard Tyus Jones, the Wolves likely shifted focus to Morris due to his attainability. Jones was, at minimum, available only for a first-round draft pick. Unfortunately for the Timberwolves, trading a first-rounder is impossible for the next six years.
Morris was the next best thing, a high-IQ floor general capable of piloting the first unit and leading the reserves. Morris, like Jones, has ranked top five in assist-to-turnover ratio since the 2019 season. He's also an efficient scorer. In every season he's played in more than 10 games, Morris has shot above 45.5 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from three.
To acquire Morris, it only cost Minnesota two fringe rotation players and a distant second-rounder. While Brown Jr. was one injury away from a prominent role, a backup point guard is more essential to the current iteration of the Timberwolves.
Without Conley in the lineup, Minnesota has lost three of five games. Two of which came at the hands of bottom-dwellers, the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs. And oddly enough, without the 36-year-old point guard in the rotation, head coach Chris Finch opted to start shooting guard Alexander-Walker.
Even with a healthy Conley, the Wolves suffer whenever he takes a breather. Minnesota's offensive rating drops nearly six points with Conley on the pine. Furthermore, Conley is also important to the Wolves' defense. Minnesota allows roughly four more points per 100 possessions when Conley's off the floor.
The Conley-less minutes have been far more discouraging than they should be. With championship hopes alive and well, relying on a 36-year-old point guard to shoulder the weight of the squad is alarming.
Minnesota receives a B+ for this deal. The additions of Brown Jr. and Milton did not improve the roster as expected. Moreover, a 2030 second-round pick is trivial.