The Detroit Pistons have had an offseason that should set up some big future moves.
Trajan Langdon didn’t go wild with dramatic trades or long-term free-agent signings, but set a limit of two years on every addition, keeping the Pistons flexible and giving them plenty of future expiring contracts to work with.
Langdon is set up to flip veterans for assets at the deadline and eventually package a big contract (Tobias Harris) to make a move for a star in a trade.
Bleacher Report recently wrote about young players who need new homes and there were several names on the list who could interest the Pistons.
Of course, Jaden Ivey of the Pistons was on the list himself, which raises the question of whether there will be enough minutes for him after the Pistons signed veteran guards and drafted Ron Holland II.
Could Ivey be on the move as part of a package for a different young star? Even if the Pistons do keep Ivey, these players would make sense and are in situations that may lead to trades.
Anfernee Simons
The Trail Blazers are a strange team, as it appears they are rebuilding around the young talent they have started to collect, but still have veterans Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons, who is still just 25 years old.
If the Blazers decide to defer to their youth, Simons could be on his way out, though it’s hard to know if the Pistons would have any interest or the right trade package to land him.
Offensively, Simons would be a nice fit with Cade Cunningham as a secondary scoring option who can spread the floor with accurate and high volume 3-point shooting.
Portland will likely be looking for a young wing and/or draft picks for Simons, which the Pistons don’t currently have given that they still owe a pick to the Knicks, but Langdon will likely spend the next year trying to remedy that, possibly by flipping Ivey for a pick or two.