Detroit Pistons: Best trades in team history with the Cleveland Cavaliers

We’ve been taking a look back at some of the best trades in team history for the Detroit Pistons.

We’ve looked at a home run trade with the Celtics, a mutually beneficial swap with the 76ers and a trade with the Lakers that just keeps on giving.

Today we’re onto the Cleveland Cavaliers, a division rival who the Detroit Pistons have only traded with five times dating back to 1979, but two of them brought in players who would become icons in the Motor City.

The Detroit Pistons have made some bad decisions over the years, but these trades do not rank among them. One happened on February 16, 1982 and then another in October of the same year.

These trades rank among the most lopsided the Pistons ever made and helped bring multiple titles to Detroit.

Detroit Pistons: 2 trades with the Cavaliers set up the Bad Boys

The first trade occurred on February 16, 1982 and set the foundation for the Bad Boys:

The Pistons gave up two players and two draft picks for Bill Laimbeer and Kenny Carr, which worked out very well for Detroit.

Hubbard had a good career for Cleveland, and John Bagley was a decent role player, but neither of them were really close to Laimbeer, who played 13 seasons in Detroit, made the All-Star team four times, led the league in rebounds and won two titles.

Laimbeer became part of the foundation of the Bad Boys era, but Cleveland wasn’t done helping the Pistons. This trade happened on October 7, 1982 and was arguably even better for the Detroit Pistons:

This is the classic “You never know who a draft pick will be” trade, as the Pistons gave up Steve Hayes, who was better at growing a mustache than playing basketball, for a 2nd-round pick that ended up being Dennis Rodman.

Rodman was the best 2nd-round draft pick in Pistons history and another player whose defense, rebounding and non-stop motor defined the Bad Boys’ era.

Rodman made two All-Star teams for the Detroit Pistons, led the NBA in rebounding seven times and ended up with five rings, not to mention a strange BFF relationship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.

Off-the-court antics aside, Rodman is one of the best defenders and rebounders in NBA history, and he and Laimbeer were part of why the Pistons won two titles.

Thanks for that, Cleveland!