Detroit Pistons get ‘what are we doing here’ award for Marvin Bagley III trade

The Detroit Pistons made one trade before the NBA deadline Thursday afternoon, acquiring athletic power forward Marvin Bagley III from Sacramento in a four-team deal that involved seven players.

Bagley, as has been well chronicled, did not work out as the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2018 and it cost the Kings dearly. This season, the 22-year-old was phased out of the rotation to start the year and when he did earn minutes, was often parked in the corner, where he took 15% of his shots on corner 3s and made just 24% — the fourth percentile among all power forward/centers, according to Cleaning The Glass. Outside shooting is not his strength, a career 29.9% 3-point shooter. Health and defense have also dragged him down.

What he is an athletic, lanky (6 feet 11, 235 pounds) and has touch around the basket, which will serve the Pistons well, specifically franchise player Cade Cunningham.

The Pistons didn’t give up much future value in the deal, trading away Josh Jackson, Trey Lyles and two future second-round picks (least favorable of Golden State/Cleveland in 2023, Sacramento’s in 2024). The Kings’ pick could land in the 30s, but that’s a few years away and is the price of getting a look at Bagley, whom Pistons second-year general manager Troy Weaver has seemingly longed for a while. Bagley can become a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Pistons will be able to retain him if they choose.

Let’s get into what NBA analysts are saying about the trade, besides our own Omari Sankofa II, who wrote: Pistons’ trade for Marvin Bagley III is a high-upside, low-cost move

ESPN, Kevin Pelton: D-minus

Pelton has the Pistons as the clear loser in this deal, going Kings A, Clippers A-minus and Bucks C-plus.

He likes the Kings’ acquisition of Donte DiVincenzo and his potential fit at shooting guard to space the floor around Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox.

For the Pistons, Pelton doesn’t…