All those who want Cade Cunningham to land with the Detroit Pistons can breathe a sigh of relief. There is a report out the Houston Rockets have given up trying to convince Detroit to move down a spot in the July 29 NBA Draft.
Since the night the Detroit Pistons were awarded the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, for the first time in 51 years, many Pistons fans have worried that the organization may trade away the pick. After all ‘Fade for Cade’ was the slogan for many fans after a Pistons loss last season (which means it was used a lot).
The fanbase, at least the most vocal part, wants the Pistons to take the 6-foot-8 Oklahoma State product on July 29 and not consider anyone else. Of course, in the brief time Troy Weaver has spent as general manager of the Pistons, it has become quite clear popular sentiment is not a factor when he is making decisions.
Weaver does what he believes is in the best interests of the Pistons. If some fans get their nose out of joint at the time (like when he paid career role player Jerami Grant $60 million), it does not really affect him.
If Weaver truly thought that Jalen Green, Evan Mobley or Jalen Suggs were a better player than Cunningham, he undoubtedly (after checking with owner Tom Gores) would select that player, or take a trade where he could still get the player he wants.
The most obvious trade partner is the Houston Rockets. They hold the No. 2 pick in the draft and have a lot of future draft assets to deal (although little talent on its current roster to offer, which is why they went 17-55).
The Rockets would definitely select Cunningham if Houston went first. He is a Texas native and they need to come up with some reason for people to buy tickets. That means Weaver knows he can get any player outside of Cunningham he wants, if he moved down a spot.
Houston has made no secret it wants to deal with Detroit. However, it looks like they took a swing and a miss:
The #Rockets are no longer expected to trade up for the #Pistons No. 1 overall pick as one source tells @HoopAnalysisNet that Houston “loves” the idea of adding Jalen Green. Some within the organization want Cade Cunningham but the price Detroit wants is “too high to pay.”
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) July 25, 2021
This report dovetails with other stories coming out of Houston, that they will not pay an exorbitant price for No. 1, and will be satisfied with picking G-League Ignite wing Jalen Green.
Kelly Iko of The Athletic (PAID SUBSCRIPTION needed) has speculated that the Rockets offered the Pistons its No. 2 pick and the Wizards’ 2023 first-rounder. The Pistons would laugh at such a pittance to have them give up Cunningham.
This is as far as Iko believes the Rockets would go:
It is a lot of draft choices for Detroit, but how valuable are they, except for going second this year. Importantly, Houston is not offering to give back the Pistons own first-round draft pick they received in the Christian Wood trade, which could come into play as early as next year.
If Detroit can not get its own first-rounder back from Houston, one would think that is a deal-breaker.
The only sliver of doubt remaining could be that Green wants to be picked No. 1. He has worked out for the Pistons in California and then came to Detroit for a second workout. If, somehow, Green did get the Pistons to agree to take him first, that would turn the entire draft on its head.
Of course, all of this is speculation until NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announces the first pick in the NBA Draft at 8 p.m. on July 29. Even if Detroit is 100-percent locked in on Cunningham, the NBA frowns upon their TV draft show being ruined, and would tell Detroit to keep it quiet.
But, for now, it appears the team with the best chance of prying the No. 1 pick away from Detroit, has been rebuffed.