The Detroit Pistons' options are running thin, at least when it comes to finding Cade Cunningham the help they promised this offseason.
Detroit missed out on Kawhi Leonard (although that may have been a good thing), the New Orleans Pelicans are asking for the sun and the moon for Trey Murphy III, and the Milwaukee Bucks seem content with keeping Tyler Herro for now.
Trajan Langdon has yet to make the splash Cunningham was hoping for, and part of that could be attributed to the uncertainty surrounding the future of All-NBA center Jalen Duren, who's taking his sweet time to find the contract he's searching for on the open market.
At this point in the offseason, it feels like the most likely way that Detroit could make a big move would come on the trade market, especially considering the top free agents still on the board.
Of the options available, one name in particular stands out as an intriguing high-upside swing, especially considering the price it would cost is much cheaper than anyone imagined.
Pistons should take a swing on Jonathan Kuminga
There's certainly going to be mixed emotions about the idea of Jonathan Kuminga in the Motor City.
Some people will still be infatuated by the potential he possesses as a former top 10 pick, especially considering he's only 23.
Others, though, will argue that if Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors couldn't find a role for him, there's no need for the Pistons to try, especially with the retooling Atlanta Hawks, opting that it made more sense to let him walk than bring him back.
The reality, though, is Kuminga is a legit talented player, whose situations haven't exactly given him the opportunity to prove how talented he truly is.
Golden State was an odd fit given the fact that Kuminga went from playing extended minutes over the course of his first few seasons courtesy of injuries, to being asked to take a backseat and work as a rotation piece for a coach he clearly didn't see eye to eye with.
In Atlanta, Kuminga only played 16 regular-season games before being thrown into the playoffs to seemingly figure it out with a group of players he's never played with.
Throughout it all, though, the versatile forward managed to turn heads in both situations, throwing flashes of the upside that urged the Warriors to select him No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Kuminga has legit scoring upside as an athletic wing who can get to the rim at will, and he's proven capable of spacing the floor as a capable three-point shooter and dangerous mid-range threat.
Detroit hasn't been listed as a suitor as of yet, but he'd certainly help alleviate the burden that Cade Cunningham carries on offense.
And while the Los Angeles Lakers are the biggest name to pop up tied to Kuminga, the reported offer from LA (two-year, $20 million) is one that nobody expected to be an option after the forward declined his $24.3 million option in Atlanta.
The longer this free agency saga stretches out, the more likely that Kuminga will have to consider signing a prove-it deal somewhere, and if that's the case, why can't the Pistons get involved?
The avenue to bring Kuminga to the Motor City would be interesting, but a sign-and-trade shouldn't be ruled out, considering the Hawks have reportedly been willing to help the Lakers land the playmaker.
While the Pistons haven't been linked as a suitor for Kuminga, if they were, there's an argument that assuming a much larger role next to Cunningham would be more beneficial to his career than playing as a third option alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Not to mention, after the role the Lakers played in deterring the Pistons' summer plans, payback would be sweet.
Is it an ideal offseason move for Detroit? No. However, it's a signing that makes more and more sense as the summer unfolds.
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