The Detroit Pistons could have made a big-time trade this summer to bring in another star to play next to Cade Cunningham. Some would argue that they should have. But they didn’t. And if they play their cards right, they may never have to. However, in order for that to work, they do need to insulate this roster with a bit more shot creation.
Right now, the Pistons are walking toward a reality in which Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson are their three highest-paid players. Any more expensive players, and they could run into some second-apron problem. Those three are good enough to be the highest-paid guys on the team, but only if the Pistons find a way to add more secondary creation to the roster.
It doesn’t need to be someone who is going to cost a ton of money, like Tyler Herro or Michael Porter Jr., but it does need to be a guy (or two) who can help take the burden off Cunningham on the offensive end.
Pistons can focus on mid-rotation creation instead of a trade for another star
In today’s NBA, having three players on max contracts is about the limit. Just look at the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have three max guys, and they just shipped out Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins this summer.
All three trades were made specifically so the Thunder could duck the second apron. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams on max deals, the roster got too expensive.
Duren and Thompson probably won’t be on max contracts like Cunningham. That’s probably part of the reason why Duren and the Pistons are still negotiating. But still, they’ll all make a lot of money. Probably close to max contracts.
Because of that, the Pistons trading for another All-Star-caliber player to play next to Cunningham could be hard. Even adding another $30 million player at that point would be a tough pill to swallow.
So, rather than going after another star, the Pistons should focus their efforts on the mid-tier contracts. The guys making $10 to $20 million who could help on the offensive end, in particular.
Joe could be an example. If he thrives in his role, he could grow and be a bigger help to the offense than people realize. He’s only making $11.3 million this upcoming season.
Ty Jerome could be a huge help. He can score the ball and create for others. What about a trade for AJ Green to be a volume three-point shooter? Could Tre Jones be gettable?
Finding some mid-rotation creators would go a long way in helping the Pistons maintain their core and improve on offense without having to trade for another star.
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