The Pistons head into next season with serious expectations for a deep playoff run and title contention, which could motivate them to make a big midseason trade to add a proper second star next to Cade Cunningham. One team to monitor as a trade partner will be the Orlando Magic, who will quickly be a very expensive team and have two players that could serve as perfect co-stars next to Cade. Bringing either Franz Wagner or Paolo Banchero to the Motor City could finally get Cade the help he needs.
The Magic have not one but two great trade targets
Of course, both Wagner and Banchero are still great young players loaded with potential. Convincing the Magic to part with either will be a tall task, but the strict CBA might get the job done. For next season, the Magic are approaching the second apron and are headed for some huge luxury tax payments in coming years if they keep their current core together.
Although Orlando did a great job applying playoff pressure to the Pistons in the first round, the Magic once again found themselves at home before a playoff series win. Neither Wagner nor Banchero has ever won a playoff series in their career. It'll be tough to ask the Magic owners to pay out huge salaries and luxury tax payments for a nucleus that's never produced playoff results.
However, both guys have shown promise in both regular season and playoff settings. Wagner terrorized the Pistons with timely shot-making and great defense on Cade when he was healthy during the first 4 games of their series last season. And Banchero had some truly dominant showings, including a 45-point Game 5 and a 38-point Game 7. Either one could bring a much-needed injection of individual shot creation to Detroit.
Franz and Paolo can't get it done in Orlando
But there's a reason that the Magic have had such middling results despite the clear brilliance of their young stars in key moments. Neither Banchero nor Wagner is a true primary star, as they are often inconsistent when tasked in that role. Both could be perfect secondary stars, however, next to a player like Cade. If they were able to pick their spots more wisely and benefit from Cade's playmaking, either Wagner or Banchero could look much more efficient and acheive more playoff success.
They've also both faced injury struggles at inopportune times. It's been worse for Wagner, who played just 34 games last season and missed the final 3 games of his team's first-round series. But Banchero himself only played 46 games the season prior as well. Any team that trades for either Orlando star would be assuming some injury risk.
Still, the potential upside of adding Wagner or Banchero as Cade Cunningham's long-term running mate are hard for the Pistons to resist. If either does become available at the trade deadline, Detroit should put itself in the hunt.
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