Rip Hamilton Outward Bound? 5 Possible Landing Spots for Detroit Pistons Guard
It appears Rip Hamilton's days in Detroit may be numbered.
Following a controversial benching/sickness before a game last week, Hamilton and Pistons president Joe Dumars had a talk after which both sides came away saying all the right things.
Dumars reiterated that Hamilton was committed to the team and would remain a Piston.
Hamilton responded by having his best game of the season, torching Toronto for 35 points off the bench.
End of story, right? Not so fast.
The Hamilton/Dumars discussion was about one thing, saving Rip's trade value.
Dumars has made some dumb moves over the past five years, but he is not a dumb man. He knows that the key for his rebuilding project is whether or not he can deal Hamilton. And he knows that a sulking, slumping, upset Hamilton will be nearly impossible to unload given his large salary.
In my opinion Dumars likely expressed this to Hamilton, telling him to embrace his role, and in return, Dumars will boost Hamilton's options.
From a logical standpoint, it behooves Hamilton to embrace a super sub role for Detroit. He can prove that he still has it and either force head coach John Kuester to start him again, or entice an outside club to see him as the missing piece they are looking for to get them over the championship hump.
In the subsequent two games, Hamilton has struggled somewhat, scoring 15 and nine points against Chicago and Charlotte respectively.
To deal Hamilton, Detroit had two options: Either the Pistons could deal him to a desperate team during the summer that missed out on a top-flight free agent, or trade him to a contender during midseason.
Dumars missed out on the first option, and now he needs to go with option number two.
Here are five potential trade partners for the Detroit Pistons to deal their star shooting guard.
New York Knicks
1 of 5
The Knicks have been arguably the biggest surprise in basketball this year. Many thought that the addition of Amar'e Stoudemire would make them better, but they have emerged as a legit playoff contender in the East.
If you believe the talk around the NBA, the Knicks are angling hard for Carmelo Anthony and he could absolutely end up there. But he won't be traded there. The only shot the Knicks have at getting the Denver forward would be to sign him outright as a free agent in the offseason.
The Knicks don't have nearly enough to offer the Nuggets to make it worth their while; therefore they would need a third team to get involved.
A more likely scenario would involve the Knicks making a move for Hamilton this year and then hope to land Anthony as a free agent.
Hamilton would fit coach Mike D'Antoni's offense like a glove. His ability to run around screens, move without the ball and fill running lanes would allow him to thrive in New York. Furthermore, his ability to throw alley-oop lobs would benefit Stoudemire.
The Knicks might be able to get Hamilton straight up for Eddy Curry's expiring contract. At the very least, they might be able to get him for Curry and a minimum salary young player like Anthony Randolph or Bill Walker.
Hamilton could either be inserted directly into the starting lineup in place of Landry Fields or continue his role as a super sub.
This deal makes a lot of sense for the Knicks if they look at their situation rationally and don't listen to their fans. For Detroit, if they can get a young player like Randolph in addition to salary relief, it would be a great move.
Chicago Bulls
2 of 5
The Chicago Bulls are a team on the rise, and their future is bright.
But they are still missing an explosive scorer on the perimeter to pair with stud point guard Derrick Rose, a player they lost when Ben Gordon bolted for Detroit.
Hamilton would fix their perimeter problem and be a needed veteran with a winning resume, something the Bulls will surely need in the playoffs if they hope to get past Boston or Miami.
There are two problems standing in the way of this deal: Dumars might be apprehensive to deal within the division, and most importantly, the Bulls don't have a lot to offer Detroit. They aren't likely to break up their young core and they don't have a lot of big expiring deals.
The only chance Chicago would have to get Hamilton would be to find a third team that has an expiring deal and pair that with a young player like James Johnson and maybe a draft pick.
This probably is a long shot for the above reasons, but Chicago would no doubt love to get Hamilton.
Indiana Pacers
3 of 5
The Indiana Pacers are at a crossroads. They have a very talented young team and are in a very weak division and conference. As of now, they have a strong chance of making the playoffs.
However, they have a big hole at shooting guard. Brandon Rush is good, but he doesn't provide enough scoring punch to keep teams from double teaming star small forward Danny Granger.
Indiana could either elect to ride out its current roster and continue to add to it, or it could make a move to shake up its roster and make a push this year to win.
Hamilton would immediately take plenty of the offensive slack off Granger's shoulders, and would pair well with the inside game of Roy Hibbert and Josh McRoberts.
The Pistons would no doubt want to add someone like Tyler Hansbrough and could pair that with Mike Dunleavy's expiring deal.
This move would do wonders for Detroit, giving the Pistons cap flexibility at a time when ownership is no doubt trying to skin their payroll. It also would give Detroit a young player in Hansbrough that could give them added depth up front, and paired with Jonas Jerebko, would represent two of the biggest hustle players in the East.
This deal makes sense for both teams. However, Indiana is not likely to make a deal like this if the NBA nears closer to a lockout next year.
Utah Jazz
4 of 5
The Utah Jazz have been looking for a solid shooting guard for years. They have a strong frontcourt, arguably the best point guard in the business and a very smart coach.
Hamilton and his high basketball IQ, great motor and perimeter shooting would be an ideal fit for the Jazz.
For Detroit, the key to a deal with Utah would hinge on frontcourt talent. Utah could easily deal Mehmet Okur back to Detroit and still be fine up front. Detroit would likely need something more, such as a young player like Jeremy Evans or Ronnie Price.
Worst comes to worst, Utah could pair Okur with Andrei Kirilenko's expiring deal of $17 million and try to have Detroit throw in Tayshaun Prince. However, this seems like a big deal, and Utah doesn't tend to make those types of moves.
A more likely scenario would involve Okur and Price, giving Detroit a big man and a pure point guard.
Utah should do what they can to get Hamilton. The Jazz are in a position to win their division and make a run at a weakened Lakers squad. However, they may be apprehensive to get rid of Okur given Al Jefferson's weak knees.
Oklahoma City Thunder
5 of 5
Oklahoma City has some impressive talent in Kevin Durant and the breakout performer Russell Westbrook, giving them arguably the best one-two perimeter punch in the west.
They don't, however, have an elite shooting guard. Their current starter is Thabo Sefalosha and his backup is James Harden.
These two are both decent players, but neither is able to consistently pick up the slack for Durant and Westbrook.
Hamilton would immediately improve the Thunder, giving them a consistent perimeter shooter that would work well as a catch-and-shoot option. The Thunder could run Hamilton off of screens, and given his ability to move without the ball, he would make life easier for big man Serge Ibaka.
Detroit would love to get its hands on some of Oklahoma City's young talent, especially center Nenad Kristic. Oklahoma City might balk at such an idea, preferring instead to throw in Morris Peterson and someone like Daequan Cook.
Would that be enough to make this deal happen? Perhaps. It just depends on how eager the Pistons are to deal Hamilton.
Make no mistake about it, the Pistons should be plenty motivated to make this type of deal happen.
There are better options out there, but not many.
