Brandon Jennings is not for sale.
Well, no more so than anyone else on the Detroit Pistons roster.
Marc Berman of the New York Post posited that Jennings was “available now,” a development that Pistons coach and president Stan Van Gundy has since denied, per MLive.Com’s Aaron McMann:
The New York Post on Sunday identified Brandon Jennings as possible target for the backcourt-thin New York Knicks, and when asked about it Tuesday Van Gundy said he nor Pistons general manager Jeff Bower have had any discussions with other NBA teams about trading him.
“We haven’t one talk with anybody about him,” Van Gundy said. “I just think that people assume that with Reggie (Jackson) here and the way Brandon played last year, I think people just make that assumption. He’s no more or less available than anybody else we have.”
I mean, duh.
Brandon Jennings hasn’t yet played this season as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles. The Pistons aren’t going to get anything or anyone of real value in return for him, and because his $8.3 million salary comes off the books this summer, they have little incentive to move him at all.
The most likely trade scenario would involve them taking back an unwanted long-term contract from a team looking to create cap flexibility. But the Pistons are also in a position to create cap flexibility. They specifically delayed Andre Drummond’s extension so they could cheapen his cap hit and become a major free-agency player. Letting Jennings’ deal expire is a part of that approach.
Short of a monster offer that, let’s face it, isn’t coming, Jennings, no matter how well or poorly he plays upon return, is going to finish this season in Detroit.
As for where he’ll start next season, that’s a different story.
