Pistons to trade Reggie Bullock to Lakers; on-the-move guard thanks Detroit
Rod Beard
New York — It’s not just chatter in the Trade Machine anymore.
The Pistons are in the final stages of making a trade for one of their starters.
League sources confirmed to The Detroit News on Tuesday night that the Pistons are preparing to send guard Reggie Bullock to the Lakers for guard Svi Mykhailiuk and a future second-round pick. The Athletic’s Frank Isola was first to report that a deal was close.
The final details of the trade still are being worked out but the Lakers are expected to include their 2021 second-round pick in the deal, which could be finalized Wednesday.
"I just stay dialed in," Bullock said Tuesday night, before the trade news started to leak. "I’m a Piston and this is the organization that I’m with and that I want to be with."
Shortly after 1 a.m. Bullock tweeted out his love for the city of Detroit.
Bullock’s name has been bouncing around in trade rumors since the weekend. He’s on an expiring contract for $2.5 million this season, which gives the Pistons some incentive to move him ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Bullock had 19 points, including 5-of-10 on 3-pointers, in Tuesday night’s win over the New York Knicks. He’s averaging 12 points and shooting 38 percent on 3-pointers this season and has been an integral part of the lineup, but with the deadline looming, the Pistons look to be trying to get whatever assets they can.
Mykhailiuk, 21, was a second-round pick (47th overall) by the Lakers in last year’s draft. He’s played in 38 games for the Lakers and is averaging just 3.2 points and shooting 32 percent on 3-pointers. Mykhailiuk, who played four years at Kansas, is slated to make $1.4 million next season and has a team option for $1.7 million in 2020-21.
That team control, along with the potential for a future draft pick is the appeal for the Pistons, who could develop him and with their issues with the salary cap, will be looking for young players with reasonable contracts.
rod.beard@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard