Pistons draft picks: Pros and cons of trading up for Cade Cunningham

Detroit Pistons: Should the Pistons trade up for Cade Cunningham?

If the Detroit Pistons decide that Cade Cunningham is the franchise-altering talent that they want, they might be able to move up to get him but there is a cost.

Pro: The pro of trading up to get Cunningham is obvious: the Detroit would finally get the best player from a draft. The hallmark of the Pistons’ mediocrity over the last decade is that they were never able to get a superstar in the draft. This is largely because they almost always picked in the 7-10 range, where you are far less likely to find one.

It’s also because they passed on guys like Donovan Mitchell among others, almost always choosing incorrectly.

For once it would be nice for the Detroit Pistons to land a superstar, not just a guy who can be the 4th best player on a team.

Con: Unlike last draft, where there wasn’t a consensus superstar or number one pick, this draft will be expensive if you want to move  up.

I was one of the people advocating for the Pistons to move up to get LaMelo Ball for this very reason. Last year’s draft would have been cheaper to move up because there were no sure things.

This year is going to be different, especially if you want to get the number one pick. With a consensus top-five that should be loaded with stars and a number one frontrunner, it will cost the Pistons a pretty penny to move up.

How much will it cost? Well, that depends on who gets the pick, but you can count on it costing the Pistons at least their 2021 pick plus a few more. Teams are not going to give away the chance to have the next superstar, so the Pistons will have to empty the clip to move up.

Would it be worth sacrificing several picks to get Cunningham? Possibly.