Marvin Bagley III has long sought a trade from the Sacramento Kings and finally got his wish shortly before the deadline when he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons.
Bagley was the second overall pick by the Kings in 2018, but he had an uneven tenure with the team. The Pistons had been rumored to have interest in Bagley for several months.
“I felt like a weight was taken off my back,” Bagley said. “I felt like I could have fun playing basketball. Being in a new environment, new facility, new teammates, new faces, I think that’s what I needed. To finally get that, I’m going to make the most of the opportunity.”
The Pistons wanted an opportunity to evaluate Bagley before he becomes a restricted free agent.
“This whole thing has been a different experience for me,” Bagley said after Thursday’s win. “I’ve never been traded before. Coming from the West Coast to the East Coast, that in itself is a different thing for me. Learning new faces, new names and trying to build relationships with people. I’m continuing to learn the place, learn the city, get out in the city more. There are a lot of things I’m looking forward to doing while I’m here. I’m just going to embrace it and keep building off what we have here. We can take this thing to the next level. I’m excited about that.”
