Detroit Pistons trade with New York Knicks, acquire Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and picks
Editor's note: The trade package details have been updated to reflect the official deal announced July 11.
Less than a week after acquiring Jalen Duren and Kemba Walker from the New York Knicks, the Detroit Pistons made another trade with them.
The Knicks traded Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, Detroit's own 2023 second-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick — via Minnesota or New York depending on draft position — and $6 million in cash to the Pistons in exchange for draft rights to Serbian guard Nikola Radicevic and a protected second-round pick in 2025.
Detroit will absorb around $19 million in salary, firmly taking it out of the running for some of the NBA's top players entering restricted free agency.
In return, the Knicks will get a $19 million traded-player exception the Pistons created with the Jerami Grant trade last week with Portland.
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Per sources, the Pistons intend to keep both Noel and Burks, rather than trade them. Burks, a 6-foot-6 wing, is a career 38% 3-point shooter and will give Detroit, which shot just 32.6% from 3 last season, a major lift. Noel, a 6-11 center, averaged 3.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game last season.
Both Burks (owed $10 million next season) and Noel ($9.2 million) have team options for the 2023-24 season, meaning the Pistons could clear an additional $19 million off of the books and have max money in what's expected to be a solid 2023 free agency class. They also give the Pistons potential trade chips at the 2023 trade deadline, since both contracts are essentially expiring deals.
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After drafting Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren last Thursday, sources indicated to the Free Press that the Pistons were less likely to sign a max player in free agency and would prioritize shooting and financial flexibility. They have done both, and now are well short of the money needed to offer a max contract to either Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton or Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges — two restricted free agents the Pistons have been connected to.
The Knicks have unloaded around $28 million in salary into the Pistons' cap space during the last week as they position themselves to sign Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, long rumored to be their primary free agency target, to a max or near-max contract. In return, the Pistons have acquired Duren, two future second-rounders, $6 million in cash and two role players.
Walker will likely be bought out of his expiring $9.2 million contract, sources tell the Free Press.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. The Free Press now has a digital subscription model. Here's how you can access our most exclusive Pistons content. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons trade for Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel from Knicks
