The Pistons were very active in their pursuit of a stretch 5 during the offseason but that pursuit has died down recently, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. On a recent episode of the ALL NBA podcast, Stein stated that the Pistons are not interested in making a big trade, even for an “ideal” piece. The Pistons’ great success to start this season has convinced the front office to hold pat with their current core rather than trading important players.
The Pistons are content with their roster
The Pistons’ roster isn’t perfect, and definitely has major weaknesses in shooting. They rank in the league's bottom 5 teams when it comes to three-pointers made. But the team is countering that weakness by emphasizing their strengths on defense and paint scoring. Getting a true stretch 5 sounds great on paper, but it would inevitably come with some drawbacks as well.
For one, adding another center to the mix would take away minutes from Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. The two bigs have been some of Detroit’s best players this season and dominated individually as well as in the double big lineup. Their defense, especially rim protection, has stood out and is not easily matched by other centers in the league.
There’s also the question of what the Pistons would have to give up to bring in a shooting big man. A common trade candidate thrown around from the Pistons is Jaden Ivey. It's understandable considering the Pistons' record without him this calendar year: 42-22 while he was sidelined with injury. But Ivey has now returned and is showing promise as a potential star in the making.
He's played very well in his limited minutes in two games since returning to the court, and complements the rest of Detroit's core very well. Fit and chemistry are hugely important factors when rounding out a team around a core. With his years of experience on the Pistons, including his perseverance through a historic losing streak and a devastating injury, Ivey has endeared himself to his teammates. It also doesn't hurt that his slashing playstyle and improving outside shot have the potential to unlock new levels for the offense.
The Pistons seem to be wisely taking a patient approach to roster construction. After building a good team from the ashes of the franchise's worst season, the front office is in no rush to ship out valuable assets for an outside player who may not fit well on the team. They will likely make a move at some point to improve and rise to title contention, but it seems like an immediate blockbuster trade for a stretch 5 is out of the question.