The Detroit Pistons should trade for Kevin Durant because it would help Cade Cunningham grow exponentially as a player. Since Cunningham entered the league, the Pistons have struggled to put quality floor-spacing around him. This past year, they had better shooting than ever around Cunningham, and it led to a playoff appearance.
Adding Durant to the mix would take the Pistons’ spacing around Cunningham to another level. His shooting and individual shot-making would give Cunningham more space to work than he’s ever had before, helping him take his game to another level as he continues to grow. Durant would solve most of Detroit’s offensive problems.
So, while it’s not perfect, the Pistons should definitely consider a Durant trade.
What would a Pistons trade for Kevin Durant look like?
Durant will be 37 years old for the entirety of next season. That doesn’t fit with the Pistons’ current timeline at all. However, with all the rumblings that the Phoenix Suns are potentially lowering their asking price for Durant, it could be worth it for the Pistons to at least inquire about a deal.
He’s still an elite offensive player, even as he enters the final few years of his career. Having his sort of production alongside Cunningham could take the Pistons to the next level in the short term and help their development for the long term.
Here’s what a potential trade could look like:
Pistons receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, Simone Fontecchio, Future first-round pick
Maybe the Suns would ask for more future first-round picks, and the Pistons would have to consider throwing them in from there, but this would be a logical starting point.
Giving up Jaden Ivey would be a relatively tough pill for the Pistons to swallow, but getting a guy like Durant would soften the blow for sure. Plus, they had to play most of last season without Ivey, anyway.
Durant would effectively be replacing Tobias Harris in the lineup, and for as great as Harris was for the Pistons last season, that upgrade would be massive for Detroit.
On the flip side, the Suns would land a very intriguing young piece in Ivey, and Harris could help them put together a competent team next season.
That said, there are probably some better offers that could be available to the Suns around the league unless the Pistons are willing to throw in some more draft capital.
Still, with how much Durant could help Cunningham and his development, inquiring about a trade would be worth it for the Pistons.