Even though the Detroit Pistons are having an exciting, resurgent season that has defied all expectations, there is a still a narrative lurking in the shadows.
Now that the Pistons are on the verge of the playoffs, it’s natural to think ahead of the next step, of how this team can go from playoff contender to title contender.
Devin Booker has been at the center of this speculation for many reasons. The Suns are on the verge of missing the postseason entirely, and there has been widespread reporting that Kevin Durant will be traded this summer in an effort to reboot around Devin Booker.
Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic wrote a great article breaking down what the Suns might want/get for Durant and the ripple effects it might have on the rest of the roster, including Devin Booker.
Will Booker want to stick around in the aftermath of missing the playoffs and trading Kevin Durant? It’s a plan that could backfire on the Suns.
When you add in that Booker is from Michigan and is constantly walking around in Detroit gear, it makes sense that there is speculation about uniting with Cade Cunningham in the Motor City, talk that is popping up in betting odds that have the Pistons as the most likely team to land Booker if he does leave Phoenix.
The odds are still long, and the Suns have given no indication that they are entertaining the idea of trading Booker, but we know things change quickly in the NBA, that anyone can be traded (ask Mavs fans) and that Booker may like the idea of joining a young, up-and-coming playoff team in his home state.
All of this is just blind speculation at this point, but let’s assume for the sake of argument that Booker did want to orchestrate a trade to the Pistons. It’s not as easy a call as you might think.
The cost of the Detroit Pistons trading for Devin Booker
If I had to guess, I’d say the Suns will not trade Devin Booker, at least not this summer. Their owner wants to contend, just hired an expensive head coach to lead a contender, not a rebuild, and Booker is still in the prime of his career.
Rankin speculated that the Suns would likely get a young player in their 3rd or 4th year and as many as four first-round picks if Phoenix did decide to trade Booker.
If you are wondering what that would look like for the Pistons, it would be something like this:
-Jaden Ivey
-Tobias Harris
-Simone Fontecchio
-2027 1st-round pick
-2028 1st-round swap
-2029 1st-round pick
-2031 1st-round pick
I am not even sure that’s the best offer the Suns would get, as teams like the Rockets, Thunder and Spurs could all put together packages that rivaled or beat that, as they have extra first-round picks to throw around.
The Pistons would be meeting the speculated requirements with a high-upside young player, two expiring contracts and four picks (3 and a swap), and it doesn’t hurt that Tobias Harris and Simone Fontecchio (sort of) can still play.
On paper, the Pistons are getting the best player, but they are giving up depth and flexibility to do it, as they would then have two players on max deals and have two additional roster spots to fill, including a guy who has been a very important part of their starting lineup and success this season in Harris.
You now need two power forwards (one starter, one bench), a backup point guard and that’s before we get to the decisions of whether to bring back Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. or talk about an extension for Jalen Duren.
Even if this unlikely scenario did unfold, it is not a no-brainer for Detroit, especially in the Apron Era when tax violations have real teeth, ask the Suns, who had no real way to improve a roster that is top-heavy and has no depth even though they have the highest payroll in the league.
Whether it’s Booker or someone else, this discussion will be at the heart of debates around the Pistons’ offseason and I do think that fans who want a big move are likely to be disappointed, as Trajan Langdon has exercised patience thus far and he’s been right.