Wheeling-Dealing Pistons Pull Off Trade For James Ennis
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
About a month before the trade deadline, it was reported the Pistons were one of the most aggressive teams on the market.
They lived up to the billing.
The Pistons pulled off their third trade in the past week and a half, and their second within hours of Thursday's 3 p.m. deadline, in acquiring forward James Ennis from the Grizzlies for Brice Johnson and a second-round draft pick. The trade was first reported by ESPN.
In 45 games with Memphis this season, the impending free agent Ennis averaged 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds. He carries a cap hit of about $3.03 million.
By trading Johnson, the Pistons parted ways with both of the add-ons they received in last week's Blake Griffin trade. Earlier today Detroit dealt Willie Reed to the Bulls in exchange for Jameer Nelson.
Taking the Griffin deal into account, the Pistons in essence traded Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a first-round pick in 2018 and a second-round pick in 2019 for Griffin, Ennis and Nelson, while swapping second-round picks in 2022 with the Bulls.
Make no mistake, the Pistons are going for it. They're 5-0 since acquiring Griffin -- 4-0 with him in the lineup -- and their win on Wednesday pulled them into a virtual tie with the 76ers for the final playoff spot in the East. And there's room to climb the standings, with just four games separating Detroit from the third-place Cavs.
The new-look Pistons next take the floor Friday night versus the Clippers.
