After the recent loss to Orlando, most fans of the Detroit Pistons walked away with one thought in mind: Cade Cunningham needs some help.
Despite his poor first-half shooting, Cade finished the game with 35 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and two steals. It’s a great sign when a guy has an off night and still has 35 points.
Meanwhile the Magic got big nights from their two stars as Paolo Banchero carried them early and Franz Wagner put in the daggers late. It was crystal clear that Cade Cunningham needed a second star to flank him and pick up that slack when he’s struggling.
I also worry about Cade’s usage, as he has the 3rd-highest usage rate in the league and is shouldering pretty much the entire offense for the Pistons. Given that they are the 6th seed, Trajan Langdon has to get Cunningham some help if they want to hold on in the second half and make the playoffs.
Here are some players in different tiers that could help them.
Low tier
Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson will give you 16 a game and can take over at times when he gets hot. His shooting numbers are not great, and he’s not exactly what the Pistons need, but his salary fits into their cap space without sending a contract back to Utah. Could he be had for a second-round pick? I’m not a huge fan, since he has anothe year on his deal past this one, but his name is out there.
Dennis Schroder
I thought the Pistons should have made a move for Schroder earlier in the season, as he ended up going for little and is a guy who could have helped them even before Ivey went down. He’s not been good for Golden State, where he has yet to carve out a big role for himself in far fewer minutes per game than he was getting in Brooklyn. Schroder can still be traded this season, could Detroit get him for a contract and a second-rounder?
Bobby Portis
I wrote about the possibility of Portis here, which may be more of a need now that Tobias Harris is potentially out for a few games. He’s not direct help for Cade Cunningham, but would at least give the Pistons more size and a guy who can shoot behind Harris, where they are currently using a hodge-podge of players.
Mid-tier
Collin Sexton
This depends on the cost to get him, but he’d be an immediate replacement for Jaden Ivey, and give the Pistons another guy who can score and create his own shot. Would the Pistons give up a 1st for 1.5 years of Sexton? I’m not so sure, but if the price is less than that, they should consider it.
Malcolm Brogdon
He’s currently hurt, which is why I wouldn’t give up more than a second-round pick for him, but he’s on an expiring deal, can offer some backup minutes at both guard spots and can shoot (theoretically).
Lonzo Ball
Lonzo is my choice for the player the Pistons should target, as he checks a lot of boxes and doesn’t come with long-term obligations. If it works out, he’s a guy they might be able to sign for a song next season. I’d take a risk on Lonzo, who is one of the best connectors in the NBA and makes a lot of winning plays when he’s healthy. Second unit lobs to Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland? Yes please.
Top tier
Zach LaVine
We all know the red flags, but the guy is playing out of his mind right now, hitting over 45% of his catch-and-shoot 3’s. He can play on or off the ball and would give the Pistons a dynamic scoring backcourt even if his defense is below average. We’ve talked about the risks a million times, but until LaVine is traded or not, he’s an option.
CJ McCollum
His defense is not great, but CJ gives you a solid veteran scorer, great teammate and culture guy and he only has one year left on his deal after this one. The Pelicans seem more intent on trading Brandon Ingram (no) but with no market developing, they may pivot to one of their guards.
Dejounte Murray
Murray is another guy who is currently out with an injury, but I do wonder if the Pelicans will try to get out of his deal now that things went south this season. His numbers are way down and he still has three years left on his deal, so it would be a big risk, but he’d be an immediate Ivey replacement.
Cam Johnson
He isn’t a ballhandler or creator but would give the Pistons another elite shooter to open up more space for Cunningham. The Nets seem to be holding out for a fortune and there is definitely a cost I wouldn’t go beyond for a guy who is injured a lot, but he’s a nice fit on the wing where the Pistons could also use his size. I love slotting him into the small forward spot with Ausar Thompson at the two. But what would he cost the Pistons in a trade? He has a nice contract and is having a career year, so the Nets are going to hold out.