Only a ‘Cosmic offer’ stops Cade Cunningham from coming to Detroit Pistons

A report says it would take a ‘Cosmic offer’ for the Detroit Pistons to give up the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. The Houston Rockets are preparing an offer to draft first, how big is the question.

Sometimes the best way to know about what is going with No. 1, is to look at what is happening with No. 2.

Kelly Iko, who covers the Houston Rockets for The Athletic (PAID SUBSCRIPTION needed), recently had an interesting story on what the Rockets, who have the second pick in the NBA Draft, are thinking.

As all Pistons fans know,, Detroit has the No. 1 pick in the draft for the first time since 1970. They also know that Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State is the presumptive top player in the draft, and Pistons fans can not wait to see him in a Detroit uniform.

Here are some main points in the story:

The Houston Rockets really would like Cade Cunningham

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver is definitely on Houston GM Rafael Stone’s speed dial. Cunningham is a Texas native (although from the Dallas area) and the Rockets had the worst record in the NBA last year, so they would like to make a splash, if for no other purpose than to give fans a reason to buy a ticket.

Discussions will be held between the teams. The Pistons, obviously, hold all the cards. They can just sit on their hands, draft Cunningham, and go home have a good night.

Houston lost James Harden last year and are looking for a big name to excite the fan base (sorry, John Wall probably not doing it).

The Pistons will definitely get an offer from the Rockets. How strong will it be is the question. Iko says it will take a ‘Cosmic offer’ from the Rockets to convince Detroit to flip spots and give them No. 1.

What is a ‘Cosmic offer’? Obviously, just an extra first rounder will not do the trick. Sending back Christian Wood for a return to Detroit does not seem cosmic. The Rockets best young player, Kevin Porter Jr., does not fit into the culture Weaver is trying to grow.

So what the heck can the Rockets offer? It would have to be a bunch of unprotected first round picks, probably. Unless a trade goes through, we may never know what a cosmic-sized offer is.

The Detroit Pistons really do like Jalen Green a lot

It has been pretty much an open secret that the Pistons have been enamored with G-League Ignite wing Jalen Green for a while. Every report about Detroit’s thinking on the players in the draft, for months, has included how much the Pistons like Green.

In terms purely of ‘fit’ with the current Pistons roster, Green, as a super athletic wing who can score, might be the best in the draft.

Of course, GM Troy Weaver can like Green a lot – but just like Cade Cunningham a bit more.

Iko said that Detroit is still doing background work on Green as draft day approaches. Now, Weaver is famous for doing due diligence, and that is all this could be.

Green is coming in for a workout at the Henry Ford Performance Center before the draft. How that workout turns out might decide just how ‘cosmic’ an offer the Rockets need to make.

For those who would be screaming into the night on July 29 if Detroit does not take Cade Cunningham, the good news is the article says Houston will not pay ‘some exorbitant price’ to get the No. 1 pick

It is pretty safe to say, unless Green looks absolutely incredible at his workout, that the Pistons would demand an exorbitant price to give up the first pick. They have been waiting 51 years to do it, after all.