Detroit Pistons: Pros and cons of trading for Zach LaVine
The Detroit Pistons have lost 17 in a row and are nearly fully healthy, so if they want to improve this season, they may have to look outside their own roster.
Unfortunately, trade options are limited, so fans and speculators are glomming onto any rumor and trying to apply it to the Pistons.
Those options will increase slightly on December 15th, when more players are eligible to be traded, but for now, LaVine is the big name.
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It makes sense, as the Bulls stink, need a fresh start with a new group and could look to blow it up by trading LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.
According to reports, the trade market has not developed for LaVine, who is currently hurt, is having a down season and still has a lot of money owed to him. The Pistons are no stranger to buy-low targets and fans started talking themselves into the idea of LaVine in Detroit, especially if they could get him without giving up a member of their core four (unlikely).
That speculation got louder after Bobby Marks mentioned Detroit as a possible landing spot for LaVine if the Bulls do trade him:
Multiple reports suggest the Chicago Bulls continue to look for a trade for Zach LaVine.@BobbyMarks42 tells @BGeltzNBA and @SamMitchellNBA the Pistons could be his landing spot. pic.twitter.com/X5SN1511mf
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 2, 2023
There was nothing concrete to back this up, so for now, I wouldn't take this as anything more than an opinion, but let's assume for a second that the Detroit Pistons could be in the mix for Lavine. Should they do it?
Detroit Pistons: Trading for Zach LaVine
Pro: He immediately helps Cade Cunningham
LaVine is scoring 21 points per game on mediocre shooting splits this season, but there is no doubt he would help the Detroit Pistons, especially Cade Cunningham, who has lacked a consistent secondary scoring threat all season.
Even in a down season (so far) LaVine has the reputation of a scorer and a guy who can fill it up, so that alone would help open up more space in the offense and make the Pistons more dynamic in the half-court.
LaVine has some injury concerns, but he has been pretty reliable over the last four seasons and averaged 25.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 48.5 percent from the floor and 38.9 percent from long range on over seven attempts per g
He's a good player who will take some of the burden off Cade Cunningham, improve the spacing and give the Pistons one of the best scoring backcourts in the Eastern Conference.