Would the Detroit Pistons do this hypothetical trade for OG Anuoby?

Detroit Pistons draft: Trading for OG Anunoby

This would be a somewhat risky move for the Detroit Pistons even though Anunoby is a very good fit on paper. He only has one guaranteed year left on his contract and then a player option, so they would have to be comfortable offering him a max extension to keep him around.

So while his $18 million next season looks like a bargain, that number is going to jump way up after that, as Anunoby would likely decline his 2024-25 player option to seek a long-term deal.

Also, the 4th or 5th pick in the draft will likely be a wing, and the Pistons may be able to find a guy who ends up just as good or better than Anunoby who they have under team control on a rookie deal.

However, there is also a very good chance that the players taken in that range don’t reach Anunoby’s level. He has a chance to win Defensive Player of the Year soon, and the Pistons would potentially have him locked up for all of his prime years.

A foursome of Cunningham, Ivey, Anunoby and Jalen Duren is a pretty nice starting point and the Detroit Pistons would still have cap space to add another player or two in free agency.

There is some amount of risk with a trade like this, and you could argue that it is a year too soon for Detroit to be making these kinds of moves, but if you have a chance to lock up the entire prime of one of the league’s best two-way wings, it’s hard to walk away for “potential.”

Like I said, it’s possible this wouldn’t be enough to get OG anyway, but if it was, the Detroit Pistons would at least have to consider it.