The Detroit Pistons have a huge opportunity in front of them this summer. They have a chance to put the best possible pieces around Cade Cunningham, which could help him bring a championship to Detroit. But as they attempt to do that, they need to avoid the same trade spiral the Oklahoma City Thunder went down with Russell Westbrook.
In the post-Kevin Durant years, the Thunder had the point guard. They had the star player. Just like the Pistons have in Cunningham. Obviously, Cunningham is much younger than Westbrook was at that point, but still, avoiding the spiral of trades that just didn’t work out is crucial.
Because if the Pistons make ill-fitting trades over and over again, as the Thunder did, there’s no guarantee they’ll come out better on the other side (like the Thunder did).
Cade Cunningham's Pistons time cannot become Russell Westbrook's latter years in OKC
When Durant left OKC, the Thunder kept trying to win. They kept trying to put a championship-caliber roster around Westbrook. And it just didn’t work out for them.
Whether it was Westbrook carrying a team of solid depth during his MVP season or the Thunder trading for guys like Paul George and bringing in an aging Carmelo Anthony, the moves just didn’t pan out.
OKC traded for one guy to be the answer. George. One co-star. A guy to play alongside Westbrook. But the depth still wasn’t there to get the team over the hump, especially in a crowded West.
The Pistons have a chance to immediately differentiate themselves from that pathway. A chance to avoid the same shortcomings that the Thunder made with their then-superstar point guard.
Detroit definitely needs its version of George. A secondary scoring threat to take the pressure off Cunningham. But it also needs to ensure that the supporting cast is good enough.
And for as great as George played in OKC – and he was great, finishing top three in MVP and DPOY voting – he still wasn’t good enough. That team still never accomplished much.
More than anything, Cunningham cannot end up being discussed like Westbrook -- a very talented guard who never had enough help.
With Cunningham about to enter his prime, the Pistons need to make sure that whatever move they make, it’s the right one. Because if they make a string of trades that just aren’t good enough, they’ll be left in a rough spot.
And unlike the Thunder, the LA Clippers may not be waiting on the other side of those unfortunate trade attempts with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a haul of first-round picks.
Cunningham’s time in Detroit just cannot end up like Westbrook’s latter years in OKC.
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