Report: Nets trade Steve Blake to Pistons for Quincy Miller
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The Brooklyn Nets traded Steve Blake to the Detroit Pistons for Quincy Miller, according to a report from Shams Charania of RealGM.
Blake exercised his $2.2-million player option ahead of free agency, but the Portland Trail Blazers swung him to the Nets in a four-player deal on draft night.
The Nets are facing a roster crunch and clear further breathing room beneath the luxury tax by dealing Blake, although they're suddenly thin at the point after buying out Deron Williams on Friday.
In Detroit, Blake should battle Spencer Dinwiddie to be the team's third point guard behind a recovering Brandon Jennings and the recently re-signed Reggie Jackson. The 35-year-old's best days are likely behind him, but he remains a steady veteran hand, and the price tag is hardly onerous.
In 81 games last season, Blake averaged 4.3 points and 3.6 assists in 18.9 minutes, knocking down 35.2 percent of his 3-point attempts. He's a 38.5 percent marksman from outside over his 12-year career, spent mostly as a quality backup, and that shooting touch will make him an option in two-point guard lineups.
Miller, meanwhile, is expected to have his non-guaranteed contract waived by the Nets, an unfortunate turn for a player who has fought hard to find his place in the league.
The former second-round pick was cut by the Denver Nuggets ahead of the 2014-15 season before dominating the D-League enough to earn brief stints with the Sacramento Kings and Pistons. Detroit then signed him through 2015-16 on a non-guaranteed deal, one that could have made him a low-cost asset but also rendered him a trade chip.
Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy recently spoke highly of Miller's character and work ethic, but the chance to flip a superfluous combo-forward for a steady guard was apparently too good for him to pass up.
Still just 22, Miller has enough upside to warrant a team taking a flier on him for training camp and perhaps into the season.