The Pistons have long struggled to bring in top stars unless they were drafted to Detroit, but reportedly had a framework in place to land Kobe Bryant in 2007. Bryant was coming off multiple frustrating seasons with the Lakers despite being in his individual prime, which forced him to explore trade options. There's a lot of uncertainty about what trade discussions really took place, but the rumor is a tempting one to hear as a Pistons fan.
Kobe Bryant could have extended a dominant Pistons era
Around the same time, the Pistons were on the decline as their 2004 championship core got older. Ben Wallace had already left Detroit for the Bulls, and the Pistons were never the same dominant defense after that. Adding Kobe could have helped them shift team identities with an offensive superstar instead.
The alleged trade package for Bryant was understandably a big one: Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, 2 first-round picks and possibly Jason Maxiell. At the time, that would be 2 starters (including an All-Star in Hamilton) and a young big. But if the Pistons knew what was looming ahead otherwise, they would've pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Since the trade ultimately didn't go through, Detroit ended up trading away their remaining veterans over the next few seasons after a couple more Conference Finals appearances. After that, the Pistons wouldn't see any more playoff success until last season, going 18 years from 2008 to 2026 without a playoff series win. Kobe would have helped them avoid that fate, and possibly build another title contender around him.
The Pistons eventually recovered from their playoff drought
Just as Bryant found his way to two more titles in LA, the Pistons began their long rebuilding process. Despite some decent teams over the years, the Pistons never really got past the hump of simply being a middling squad until Cade Cunningham and company arrived. Now, they've finally got the chance to build around an elite guard who's in the conversation of the NBA's best individual players.
But even Kobe needed All-Star help to win titles. Obviously he had Shaquille O'Neal as his partner in crime during a legendary three-peat to start the 21st century and later on won two more championships alongside Pau Gasol. Hopefully the Pistons have found Cade's equivalent with Jalen Duren and are able to keep him around for the long run.
Kobe's eventual success with the Lakers despite some awful rosters around him during his scoring peak should give Pistons fans hope too that their franchise will eventually turn it around for another championship. The Pistons were an undeniable force in the East during the 2000s and now hope to return to that mantle 19 years after potentially missing out on the Black Mamba.
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