The biggest question hanging over the Detroit Pistons right now is whether they will do something big at the trade deadline to improve their roster for a run at the playoffs.
Coming into the season, Detroit looked primed to take on a salary dump for draft assets, but their surprising .500 record may give Trajan Langdon other ideas.
Complicating the matter is the 2025 draft pick that they owe Minnesota that is top-13 protected.
As of right now, the Pistons would keep their pick, as it would likely fall in the top-12, but those odds change with each win or loss and Detroit is just 1.5 games back from the 6th seed with games against the Hawks, Magic and Pacers coming up.
Whether the Pistons are buyers or sellers at the deadline could depend on these next few weeks and the outcome of this 5-game road trip followed by a 6-game homestand.
Detroit could try to walk the line with a trade that could potentially get them their pick back while still staying in the mix for a playoff spot.
Detroit Pistons: Trading for Julius Randle
Julius Randle is a name that has been connected to the Pistons before and he is currently being mentioned in trade rumors.
The trade to bring Randle to the Timberwolves has not paid off, as they are currently just the 8th seed in the Western Conference and they’ve been a better team when Randle isn’t on the floor.
It will be challenging for the T’Wolves to make moves at the deadline given their tax situation, so moving Randle could end up being a priority as they try to get more flexible.
The Pistons could potentially send Minnesota Tim Hardaway Jr’s. expiring contract and Simone Fontecchio for Randle and their own first-round pick back, which would be a tough deal to pass up if it were on the table.
Trading for Julius Randle: Pros and cons
Randle gets maligned a lot, mostly because his game seems like a throwback to another era. He can be a bit of a black hole on offense and is not a great defender.
But he’s averaging 20 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game and was an All-Star just last season, so can we stop acting like this guy is a bum?
The Pistons would only be losing two guys who aren’t likely part of the future anyway, would get their pick back and get another guy who can get a bucket without the help of Cade Cunningham.
The con would be the potential loss of spacing and a key veteran leader in THJ for a guy who is not playing in clutch-time for Minny and has been doing a bit of sulking on the bench, not ideal for the culture the Pistons are building.
However, the Pistons need another player who can create his own shot, the Timberwolves need more depth and spacing, so this deal could potentially work for both teams.
Minnesota might be reluctant to give the Pistons back their pick, but at this point, it is 50/50 whether it will convey anyway, so this would be a way for them to get off Randle’s deal and still get guys who can help them.
Speaking of Randle’s deal, he only has a player option for next season at $30 million, so worst-case scenario you have a guy whose contract ends the same time as Tobias Harris’ giving the Pistons $55 million in expiring contracts to work with this summer.
Randle could play some at the five to avoid spacing issues and would at least give the Pistons another 20-point scorer who can occasionally take over the game and have the offense run through him.
And the Pistons would then not have to worry about losing their pick this season and can just play it out and see what happens.
It’s not a perfect trade, but it could help both teams reach their respective goals for the year.