The Detroit Pistons seem to have interest in Damyean Dotson, but are the New York Knicks willing to part with him?
The New York Knicks are still in the talent acquisition phase of their rebuild. But now teams are inquiring about the young talent on the Knicks. The recent report is that the Detroit Pistons are expressing interest in Damyean Dotson per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
The Detroit Pistons have expressed interest in trading for Damyean Dotson, according to a league source. Luke Kennard, the backup guard, has missed games due to injury but also has not found a fit in Dwane Casey’s system.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) December 10, 2018
It’s no surprise that teams are showing interest in Dotson. The second-round pick from 2017 is having an impressive second season. The 24-year-old is averaging 11.4 points per game and he’s shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range.
He’s a solid rebounder and a willing defender in addition to his offensive prowess. But the question is: are the Knicks willing to move him? And if so, what are they looking for in return?
Bondy mentions Luke Kennard—the 12th overall pick in the same draft that saw Dotson slip to the second round. An injury-plagued season is slowing down Kennard. It’s unclear if the Pistons are willing to move on from their lottery pick from a year ago, but he has yet to establish a role in Detroit this year.
Kennard is probably the only player that would move the needle in a potential trade sending Dotson to Detroit. Kennard is younger with a higher ceiling than Dotson. Both are solid three-point shooters right now, but Kennard projects as the better three-point threat in the future.
Dotson’s development into a rotational player—and in this case, a potential trade chip—is a credit to the Knicks’ player development system.
