No player on the Detroit Pistons is truly untouchable

The Detroit Pistons have gone quiet this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they are done dealing.

If this offseason has taught us anything, it’s that anyone can be shopped around in trades even superstars like Kevin Durant.

Contending teams are always looking for the final piece to get them over the line, and even Finals teams like the Celtics have been involved in the Durant rumor mill.

No one is safe in this league when a title run is on the line. That includes every single player on the Detroit Pistons roster.

Detroit Pistons: Potential vs. proven talent

Most people are going to argue that the Detroit Pistons have a solid young core led by a future star. This argument is completely correct, however in recent years teams have been less patient. You have the teams who draft and build like the Warriors, the Bucks (to an extent) and the Suns. On the other hand, you have the teams that cut right to the chase and trade away the future to win immediately. Teams like the Clippers, Nets, Lakers, and Cavs.

The results of this impatience have been sort of a seesaw back and forth with the 2016 Cavs trading away Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett and winning it all. While the Nets in 2021 acquired three first-ballot hall of famers in exchange for young players and draft picks and flamed out.

Potential talent is definitely important when deciding who to keep or trade, as every great player started off as a rookie at one point. However, every promising young player doesn’t progress to become great. Keeping young stars is a risk-reward and is highly dependent on the market, developmental coaching, and the mentors around said player.

Proven talent though is the more intriguing option, as we’ve seen in past trades with guys like Chris Paul and Anthony Davis fetching a king’s ransom.

The uncertainty surrounding young player’s mental state, maturity, health, and development make them riskier to teams with championship aspirations, which is why some teams will be willing to trade away an uncertain future for a guy they know is good.

Anyone is available for the right price

The Pistons’ young players are good, in fact I’m very excited for the future or Detroit basketball. With that being said they aren’t the best, and to be untouchable you have to be the best or rivaling it.

As good as Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey have been, they are not untouchable. If at any point this upcoming season a team offers a superstar for one of the Pistons, they’d be delusional not to listen.

Cade Cunningham could certainly become a superstar, but he’s not there yet, so the Detroit Pistons should at least be open to listening to offers if they were to surface. Trading away potential talent for an aging star like Durant would be foolish at this point in the rebuild, but if the right superstar became available, everyone should be on the table.

Everything could change

I believe in the Pistons’ management, and the team. The young guys look feisty, and raw. In no way am I saying to sell the whole team for a superstar right away. This works for some teams, but isn’t always the best way to go.

My point is this: No player on our current roster is untouchable in any way, shape, or form. Certain players contractually can’t be traded until December, but talent- wise no one is safe, especially not with Troy Reaper at GM, as he’s notorious for cutting people loose if and when he sees fit.

This could all change next season if one of the Detroit Pistons emerges as an All-Star, but until that happens, all options should be explored when it comes to acquiring superstar talent that can bring a title to the Motor City.