The Pistons have taken a patient approach to this offseason after a promising but flawed campaign last season. In direct contrast was the Magic's offseason last year, when they surprisingly traded four first-round picks and a pick swap, along with two players, for Desmond Bane. Despite the huge trade package, Bane has failed to make a tangible difference on Orlando's championship odds.
The Magic made a rash decision that didn't solve their problems fully
Orlando has been plagued with bad shooting for years and it's held their offense back. By trading for Bane, they hoped to address the shooting woes with a high-volume efficient shooter that wouldn't take away from their defensive identity. Bane provided his usual great shooting and solid defense in his first season with the Magic, but it didn't really matter.
The Magic still had a disappointing regular season and ultimately a loss in the first round of the playoffs. Sure, they were up 3-1 in that series and might have upset the Pistons if not for a Franz Wagner injury, but the Magic remained deeply flawed regardless. Bane might have added shooting, but the Magic still needed more playmaking to uplift their offense as well.
Bane ended up being arguably the wrong trade target because he doesn't do enough to make his teammates better. Orlando needed someone to orchestrate their offense, not just provide an additional scoring punch. If they had been more patient to assess their existing core, they might have saved their trade chips for a better fit.
The Pistons can't make the same mistake
Of course, the Magic's predicament now only supports Detroit's less hasty approach. The Pistons are hoping to see more offensive growth from their supporting pieces next season, and then decide on a trade afterwards. Outside of Cade Cunningham, the other youngsters remain unproven in starring offensive roles.
If the Pistons play their cards right, they might even end up with a perfect long-term piece to complement their existing core. In Detroit's case, that will likely mean a player that can not only shoot and create their own shot, but also playmake and lead the offense on occasion. Cade has been great shouldering that burden so far, but giving him a rest at times would be even better.
A player like Bane would not do enough to solve the Pistons' flaws. His shooting and self-creation would be extremely valuable, but his lack of playmaking could hold the offense back. Especially with two non-shooters in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren currently slotted as core pieces, the Pistons need their secondary option to have a good knack for feeding his teammates too.
The Pistons also have less trade assets than the Magic did a year ago, since Orlando also had picks from other teams. That makes it even more important that Detroit doesn't rush the process and makes sure to only pull the trigger on the right trade.
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