BR Sim Trade: Pistons Land Austin Reaves, Lakers Get Durham & Fonteignac – A Smart Move or a Risk?

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The Big Swap: Reaves to Detroit

Let’s cut through the noise. Bleacher Report just dropped a juicy simulated trade that has fans buzzing: Austin Reaves heading to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Jalen Durham, Simone Fonteignac, and a 2025 second-round pick. As someone who’s spent over a decade analyzing player fit using Advanced Stats and video breakdowns, this one caught my eye — not because it’s realistic (yet), but because it makes sense on paper.

Reaves is no longer the explosive rookie we saw in L.A.’s 2020 run. But his ability to space the floor (38% from deep over three playoff runs) is rare among guards without elite size. That matters when you’re building around Cade Cunningham — especially with young wings like Oshae Brissett struggling to stretch defenses.

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Why Reaves Fit Like Gloves (Even If He Can’t Wear Them)

Detroit didn’t just lose to New York in Round 1 — they looked flat offensively when Cunningham sat. In that series, no Piston averaged more than 16 PPG. That’s alarming for a team with championship aspirations.

Enter Reaves. His career playoff average? 16.8 PPG across three appearances — including an impressive showing against Milwaukee last spring. He’s not flashy, but he gets hot at critical moments and knows how to survive under pressure.

And yes — his off-ball movement is underrated. With players like Orlan Thompson (who barely shoots above league average from three) and Ron Holland II (a rim-runner), adding someone who can spot up outside gives them spacing they’ve been missing since Blake Griffin retired.

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What Are the Lakers Giving Up?

On paper? Not much… but context changes everything.

Jalen Durham has shown flashes of being an effective screen-setter with solid passing IQ — think of him as an undersized version of Marc Gasol who plays harder than he should be allowed. He’d help if D’Angelo Russell or Max Christie need a breathing room during pick-and-roll sets.

Simone Fonteignac? Last season was rough (40% from three early on, then fading). But in 2023-24? He hit 134 threes at 40.1%, which puts him among top-tier role-player shooters in the league that year. That kind of volume makes him valuable even if his defensive impact is limited.

So while it may seem like Los Angeles is getting ‘bargain basement’ assets, remember: these are backup pieces meant to plug holes during injury waves or give depth during back-to-backs — not cornerstones.

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The Real Question: Fit Over Hype?

Here’s where my ISTJ brain kicks in: this trade hinges on fit. Not just physical metrics or shooting percentages — but rhythm. The Pistons now have four ball-handlers who can create their own shot (Cunningham + Reaves + K.Davis + Sengun). Do they overlap too much? Or does Reaves provide that glue-guy energy that keeps things moving when things get tight?

I’ll admit — there’s humor here too. Imagine telling Cade Cunningham he won’t be starting every game anymore… oh wait, he already isn’t due to injuries! The point is: smart trades aren’t always glamorous ones; sometimes they’re quiet rebuilds disguised as mid-season moves.

This BR simulation might not happen tomorrow… but it shows where franchises should be thinking by fall: space > size; consistency > star power; data > hope.