The Detroit Pistons are in a strange position early in the 2024-25 season.
With a 5-8 record, the Pistons find themselves in 10th place in the mediocre Eastern Conference.
It’s hardly a reason to raise a banner, especially 13 games into the season, but there is optimism that this might finally be the year the Pistons compete for something other than the top lottery spot.
If Detroit does manage to hang around, we might see them as buyers at the trade deadline, either to push some chips in for an impact player (unlikely) or to plug holes in the roster, which seems far more likely given the timeline Trajan Langdon has set for his team.
When is the NBA trade deadline?
The 2024-25 NBA trade deadline is at 3:00 PM ET, February 6th, 2025, so the Pistons still have plenty of time to evaluate their roster and its needs while the league shakes out and the pretenders start falling back.
Whether the Pistons are one of them is yet to be seen. They’ve proven they can hang with good teams and even beat them, but they’ve also shown all the expected growing pains of a young team trying to learn how to win.
The Pistons do have an open roster spot that they have likely kept for some type of trade deadline move, and if they make one to add talent rather than just to ditch expiring contracts, we could see one of these positions addressed.
The Detroit Pistons could use a veteran point guard
We’ve been saying this since before the season started, but it has become more apparent that Detroit could use a veteran point guard to back up Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
The Pistons have not only had a hard time running fluid offenses in the half court with their second unit, but they have turned the ball over egregiously in the 4th quarters of tight games, an area where a more experienced guard may be able to help.
Names will start emerging as we get closer to the deadline, but Detroit needs to target someone who takes care of the ball and makes free throws, two things the Pistons struggle with in late game situations.
Backup center
The Pistons’ center depth has been tested already with an early injury to Jalen Duren, which forced Isaiah Stewart into the starting five and Paul Reed into the rotation.
I was hoping Reed could provide valuable spot minutes at center, but so far, he’s mostly contributed fouls when he has been in the game. This is another position where the Pistons could use a steady veteran who can give them competent backup minutes without taking anything off the table.
A center who can shoot would be ideal, but those aren’t easy to come by. There are plenty of backup centers who will be available at some point this season, and the Pistons may need one, as they are thin at the position and could use a savvy veteran who can mentor their young bigs.
Taj Gibson has been playing this role well for the Hornets so far this season, giving them 12 minutes a game while they are dealing with injuries of their own. It’s possible the Pistons should have just held onto him, considering he’s on a minimum non-guaranteed deal.