re: This team rides or dies on Ryan Anderson's back. End of discussion

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It doesn't look like Detroit owes their pick to anybody and they were tanking just fine with Smith, so how does stretching Smith have anything to do with the pick?

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For lack of a better explanation, I personally just don't think he wanted to deal with Smith anymore, nor the certain media circus that would come if he just rode the bench. I also think SVG values Monroe greatly, and wants to see more of him and Drummond together to gauge if he wants him to return or not. Monroe is an unrestricted FA.

Reports suggested that SVG would have to trade away their 1st-rounder in addition to Smith, compensation for any team taking on his inflated contract. SVG said he didn't want to lose the pick and that it would only halt/delay the huge rebuild. That was, of course, when the Pistons were 5-23 and couldn't beat Philly or Minnesota.

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Keeping Monroe and SVG's sanity seem like better reasons.

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These are good reasons too.