Could Detroit Pistons and Cavaliers swap injured players?

Well, it’s very clear that the Detroit Pistons are going to finish at the bottom of the league again, and with Jerami Grant out indefinitely with torn ligaments in his right thumb, the Pistons only have one real NBA starter on the roster.

Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey, and Isaiah Stewart would simply not be starters on a competitive NBA team. Cade Cunningham is the real deal, but he can’t be expected to be the number one option without any real help at this age, and tanking for draft picks is a high-risk, high reward endeavor.

Even if the Pistons land the first overall pick again, Chet Holmgren or Paulo Banchero are not guaranteed to be stars. It’s time to add more players to the Detroit Pistons who are proven to be actual NBA players. The Pistons need to stop hoping fate in the form of picks will solve all their problems and start building towards a tangible future.

While adding an injured star does little to help them this year, at least the Pistons will have a real NBA player on their team next season, not just more “prospects.”

The Detroit Pistons need a young, proven NBA player

The Detroit Pistons need to find a young player who fits with their timeline, and ideally one with some proven NBA talent. This is remarkably hard to do, as most teams do not want to part with their young stars.

Enter our neighbor to the southeast. The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to have this season weirdly figured out, boasting a starting lineup of three seven-footers: Evan Mobley, Lauri Markannanen, and Jarrett Allen. Darius Garland is playing very well, and Ricky Rubio is an excellent backup.

The Pistons are without Jerami Grant for an indefinite amount of time, and guard Collin Sexton is out for the remainder of the season with a meniscus tear. Since it is unclear if either player will help his team this season, a trade centered around the two, with some other moving parts, won’t actually affect either team’s season too much but could be mutually beneficial in the future.

The Pistons would receive a backcourt piece in Collin Sexton to eventually pair with Cade Cunningham. Cade would be the primary playmaker, scorer, and ball-handler, so Sexton would have to settle into being the clear second option, which might not be as easy as it sounds.

The Pistons would receive Ricky Rubio and his large salary, but he’s a free agent after this season so he is not a long-term detriment to their cap space. Isaac Okoro and Tacko Fall round out the Cavs side of the trade. Okoro would take the role Grant should have on any team–third option wing who can play some defense, but not be the focal point of the team’s success. Tacko Fall is included simply because I like him and would love to catch him playing some games with the Motor City Cruise. It’s selfish, but it’s my mock trade.

The Cavs would get Jerami Grant, a veteran to eventually join the starting lineup that has an average age of 22 and might be a darkhorse contender in the East as soon as next year or even this year if Grant returns to his high level of play. Killian Hayes would replace Rubio in the backcourt off the bench, giving them some much-needed defense on the perimeter.

The trade would be a risky one for Detroit, as only one of the players is signed past next season, but it would give them the inside track on signing Collin Sexton and add even more cap space for next offseason.