The Detroit Pistons didn't sit out NBA trade season, as they closed the chapter on the Jaden Ivey era and addressed a standing need for spacing by adding three-point shooter Kevin Huerter. With a co-star void still very noticeable next to Cade Cunningham, though, fans are left wanting more.
It just doesn't sound like more is happening. NBA insider Jake Fischer said on a B/R stream that he "really" doesn't think Detroit is doing anything else. "The Pistons were always saying all along that they were not going big-game hunting, that they were just going be opportunistic (and) have an ear open for potential chances to improve," Fischer said.
Do the Pistons have enough to contend as currently constructed? It seems like we're all about to find out.
Kevin Huerter fills a need, but Detroit might need an actual needle-mover.
Ok, not to make myself public enemy No. 1 here, but I'm about to do the thing fans always hate: Pick apart success by posing problems that haven't really surfaced. Because before getting into what the Pistons might regret not doing, let's acknowledge what they've done—perform at one of the highest levels across the entire Association.
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team topping Detroit's .755 winning percentage. In fact, no one else is even clearing .700. And for those who prefer more advanced metrics, the Pistons sit third in net efficiency, per NBA.com, behind only the Thunder and Boston Celtics.
So, why bother poking holes into this level of domination? Because this soaring surge up the standings has elevated both the expectations for this team and the difficulty of achieving them.
The Pistons are championship contenders—full stop.
Winning a title is hard—full stop.
And, as someone whose job is to project forward, it's unfortunately fair to wonder whether the Pistons are up for that challenge. Because even with Jalen Duren joining Cunningham at this year's All-Star Game, Detroit hasn't necessarily solved its second-star dilemma.
While Duren is excellent at what he does, he doesn't do the things the Pistons might need to counter-punch the avalanche of defensive attention coming Cunningham's way this postseason. Duren is a finisher, but Detroit really needs a second creator to take pressure off of Cunningham and punish defenses for overloading on the MVP candidate.
With the trade clock winding its way through the final hours, and the Pistons apparently content with status quo, that box will seemingly remain unchecked. Duren is the only other player on this roster averaging more than 14 points per game. Two-way contract-holder Daniss Jenkins averages the second-most assists—with 3.3.
If Cunningham can't function as normal with playoff defenses hounding him the second he crosses half-court, where will Detroit turn to generate offense? In a perfect world, the trade deadline would have provided a definitive answer. In our reality, though, it feels like the answer is nothing more than crossed fingers and a half-hearted "We'll see."