It would be surprising to see the Detroit Pistons pull off a blockbuster trade this late in the offseason, but there is one out there for Kyrie Irving that makes sense.
It starts with Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, who are eligible to be aggregated in a trade in a week, which would make it easier for the Pistons to match salaries without dipping into their rotation.
The following trade proposal from Bleacher Report takes advantage of those salaries in a three-team deal that sends both Kyrie Irving and Naji Marshall to Detroit.
Warriors get: P.J. Washington, Taurean Prince, 2027 second-round pick (from MIL, via DET) and 2028 second-round pick (from CHO or LAC, via DET)
Mavericks get: Ron Holland II, Brandin Podziemski, Daniss Jenkins, Moses Moody, Duncan Robinson and 2028 first-round pick (via DET)
Pistons: Kyrie Irving and Naji Marshall
In this deal, the Pistons are giving up Ron Holland II, Taurean Prince, Daniss Jenkins, Duncan Robinson, a 1st round pick and two 2nd round picks for Kyrie Irving and Naji Marshall.
That’s three rotation players a first rounder and two seconds, so it’s not chump change, though the Pistons would be getting back two upgrades in return. The question is whether the short-term gains are worth the long-term cost for the Pistons.
The Pistons would be giving up on Holland
Ron Holland would be the biggest long-term loss in this trade, as he is only 21 and hasn’t really gotten to show what he can do.
But let’s face it, the clock is ticking on Holland already, as he was unplayable in the playoffs, and that won’t change until he has some kind of offense. For now, he’s an expensive defensive specialist, who may never develop an offensive game, so the Pistons may as well trade him before everyone figures that out.
The flip side is that Holland is already a very good defender, so if he develops a shot, he’ll be the kind of quality two-way wing every team wants. There is some long-term risk here, and the Pistons could end up watching Holland become the perfect role player next to Cooper Flagg.
Daniss Jenkins is also a cheap option who produces, which is valuable in the NBA. Yes, Irving is obviously the much better player when healthy, but he’s expensive, and Jenkins isn’t, so it would reduce Detroit’s long-term flexibility.
Robinson and the picks are less painful, especially the picks, as Detroit has plenty of second rounders and still controls all of their own first round picks as well. The question is whether this long-term cost and risk would be worth it.
The Pistons would instantly be a title contender if Kyrie Irving is himself
If Irving is healthy and playing well, he instantly makes the Pistons a real contender in the Eastern Conference, as he provides the exact ball handling and scoring the Pistons lack next to Cade Cunningham.
Irving is a champion, and a player who has stepped up in big moments, so having him would more than replace the security blanket they lost in Tobias Harris.
Naji Marshall is more than a throw-in here, as he’s far better than Holland right now, would replace his defense and add an element of playmaking and shooting that Holland does not. I’ve always liked Marshall, and he would fit right into Detroit’s culture and a be a fan favorite right away.
The Pistons already have an in-house replacement for Duncan Robinson in Isaiah Joe and Kevin Huerter, so it would be upgrades for Detroit at three spots.
The obvious downside is that these guys make around $60 million combined over the next two seasons, so the Pistons would lose all flexibility and be screwed if Irving got hurt or wasn’t back to his former self.
But the upside is a real shot a title, which makes this a tough call for Detroit, as it would cost them some long-term flexibility and possibly talent, but give them exactly what they need to hang another banner in the rafters.
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