Detroit Pistons: Is there a trade out there for the #1 pick?

Detroit Pistons: Trading for the #1 pick

Luka Doncic

To me, the only other player who would even be considered in a trade for the #1 pick would be Luka Doncic.

The big advantage Luka has over the other two is that he is still just 24-years-old and already playing at an MVP level. He’s also under contract, but his will “only” pay him up to $45 million before he has a player option for the 2026-27 season. After that, Doncic will sign what will likely be the biggest contract in NBA history.

Dallas could also add their own top-10 pick this season to the deal to sweeten the pot, so Luka plus pick #10 might be the best offer out there.

It’s still probably not enough.

While Luka has shown that he can drag a mediocre supporting cast to the playoffs, he’s not won much yet and hasn’t shown the type of dedication he needs to getting into and staying in peak physical shape.

He’s also not a great defensive player, so you’d be trading the chance to have the league’s best defender and an unstoppable offensive force for a guy who has only shown that he can thrive in a helio-centric offense that revolves around him.

Given his age, Luka is probably the only player you would consider trading the #1 pick to get, but again, you’d be potentially giving up a guy who could instantly be one of the best two-way players in the league on a rookie deal.

Luka gets you closer, but I still think most teams would roll with Wembanyama. There are injury concerns given his frame, but when you consider his potential and the fact that he’ll be under team control for the foreseeable future, it would be hard to trade Wembanyama for just about anyone.

So unless the Detroit Pistons land the #1 pick, Wembanyama will not be coming to the Motor City.