The Pistons have an ideal trade target in Michael Porter Jr. who could be dealt very soon. According to The Athletic's John Hollinger (subscription required), Porter is a "lock" to be traded this season. While the Pistons don't figure to be major players in the trade market, Porter's combination of size, scoring and remaining youth could take them to the next level.
Michael Porter Jr is exactly what the Pistons need
Porter is having an excellent season averaging 26 points per game as the Nets' primary option. He's led the team to surprising success with his incredible shotmaking and efficiency. Despite the tough shots he takes, he's still shooting 49% from the field and 40% from three on 9 attempts per game. That level of shooting from the power forward position is exactly what the Pistons need to contend with the best teams in the league.
Surprisingly, Porter has also held his own defensively even as his offensive responsibilities have expanded. He's helped the Nets to the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA across the last 15 games (just behind the Pistons). Although MPJ isn't a lockdown defender, he still uses his size at 6'10" to disrupt plays and grab his fair share of rebounds.
With some other trade targets potentially leaving the market recently, Porter has become arguably the most appealing player for the Pistons. He's able to scale up or down in role, shown by his success this season and his contributions to championship contenders in Denver as a starter over previous years.
Importantly, Porter also fits into the Pistons' team timeline well. He's 27 years old and entering his prime now. He still has room to improve over the next few seasons as the Pistons build a championship contender. Even when Detroit's young core reaches its peak, Porter could still be playing some of his best basketball.
He would be a major upgrade over Tobias Harris, whose age has started to show this season. Although Harris is still the third-leading scorer on the Pistons, his 3-point shooting has dipped to 33% and he's battled injuries all season long. If the Pistons want to build their team of the future, Porter is the perfect candidate to fill in the power forward position.
The Nets seem eager to move Porter soon. He's sitting out Sunday's game against the Grizzlies due to "rest" despite not dealing with any lingering injuries this season. At his age, that can only mean one thing - the Nets want to make sure he doesn't get injured before they trade him soon. Many teams with deep playoff ambitions will inevitably look his way to upgrade their roster, and the Pistons would be wise to insert themselves in that conversation.