The Pistons defense has been dominant at times, but is still missing an answer for the league's best isolation scorers. We've seen this weakness come to light in recent weeks when big wings have shredded the Pistons - most notably Kawhi Leonard's 55-point performance. If the Pistons want to take the next step, this is an obvious need at the trade deadline.
The Pistons need a premier lockdown defender
Even with all the Pistons' defensive depth, they are still missing someone to guard dominant scoring wings. It's not just Kawhi either; the Pistons have also given up 37 points to Demar DeRozan recently and 36 points per game to Jaylen Brown in 3 meetings this season. This weakness will become even more important in the playoffs when individual stars take over games single-handedly.
It's a rare luxury in the NBA to have a defender capable of slowing down the best scorers. In an era when offensive players have so many advantages, there are few teams who can match up with all the top scorers. The Pistons are well-built to defend many types of scorers, including post-up bigs and quick guards.
But dominant wing scorers have often determined the outcomes of playoff series. Unfortunately, none of the Pistons' best defenders are a perfect fit against the aforementioned scorers. Experienced veterans like Javonte Green lack the size to go toe-to-toe with an elite forward. And the Pistons youngsters aren't ready yet to handle such difficult defensive tasks.
Ideally, the Pistons would like to have Ausar Thompson or Ron Holland II serve as a defensive stopper against the best wings. However, both have major problems with excessive fouling that make them easy prey for an experienced scorer. Their tendency to get into foul trouble early and often raises major concerns for a long playoff run.
The Pistons still have other options to bolster their corps of wing defenders. As the trade deadline approaches, Detroit could be active on the market looking to upgrade the roster into a true contender. While the team's offensive flaws might take priority, this defensive gap is not one to be ignored.
Whether it's a solid starter like Andrew Wiggins or a benchwarmer like Andre Jackson Jr, there are plenty of players rumored on the trade market who could fill this role in a playoff series. The Pistons are certainly no defensive slouches, but covering all their potential weaknesses will be key to winning in the postseason.
In time, the Pistons will hopefully have their long-term defensive aces already in their young core. But in the meantime, they may look to external solutions for their biggest defensive gap.