As the worst team in the league last season, the Detroit Pistons have nowhere to go but up.
How far they climb next season will rely on myriad factors including the development of the young players, how they mesh with the veteran additions and whether the Pistons choose to go for it at the trade deadline if they are in contention for a play-in spot.
Detroit’s hopeful ascent will also depend on whether Trajan Langdon makes a big trade in his first year as president of basketball operations.
The Detroit Pistons and the big trade
Detroit doesn’t have the trade assets that teams like OKC or New Orleans have, as they haven’t managed to stockpile extra draft picks while tanking for four straight seasons, which is almost impossible. Thanks, Troy Weaver!
They do have financial flexibility and young players to go along with several tradable contracts, so the cupboards aren’t bare either. Langdon has set the team up to have a clean cap sheet in two years to go along with whichever young players they keep.
Langdon has been patient so far, holding onto all of his young guys and holding back around $11 million in cap space, which they could use to sign another player or as ammo in a big trade.
That’s exactly what happens in the following trade proposal in which the Detroit Pistons add a piece that could help push them to the next level as a franchise.
Detroit Pistons 3-team trade with Nuggets and Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are almost certainly in tank mode next season and could look to cash in on some of their established players to grab future assets.
The Denver Nuggets did nothing to improve this offseason and are still in financial straits that may require them to trade one of their big contracts.
The Pistons need more star power, which makes these three a good match for a 3-team trade.
This deal was proposed by Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report and would potentially satisfy all three teams:
In this trade, the Nuggets swap out Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson, two similar players though Johnson is making far less money.
The Nets get a young player under contract in Beef Stew, an expiring contract and a couple of second-round picks for an overpaid wing. Stewart will replace some of Johnson’s shooting, is a better defender and is on a reasonable contract.
The Pistons take on Michael Porter Jr. and the $113 million left on his deal over the next three years, giving the Nuggets some cap relief and the potential to add more depth.
But would this deal be worth it for Detroit? Let’s see how it grades out.
The Detroit Pistons would jump on this trade
This is the type of trade you agree to and then run out of the room before the other teams come to their senses. Michael Porter Jr. is at the top of my possible trade targets for the Pistons this season and this would be a price far too good to pass up.
This is a no-brainer for Detroit, who would be swapping out Stewart for a better player, speeding up their rebuild and giving Cade Cunningham some real weapons to work with.
With Johnson, the Pistons could run a huge starting five with plenty of scoring and depth coming off the bench. I’ve always liked Ausar Thompson as a two-guard (it doesn’t really matter) and this would give JJ Bickerstaff a chance to go big:
-Cade Cunningham/Jaden Ivey
-Ausar Thompson/Malik Beasley
-Micheal Porter Jr./Simone Fontecchio/Ron Holland
-Tobias Harris/
-Jalen Duren/Paul Reed
Fontecchio, Thompson, Reed and even Holland can all be plugged in at the four in certain lineups, so the Pistons’ lack of depth there shouldn’t matter too much. This would make Detroit thin at center, a need they would have to address elsewhere.
This team has a starting five with a creator/scorer in Cade, a lob threat in Duren, an elite wing defender and two guys who can shoot.
You can splash in Fontecchio, Ivey and Beasley for even more scoring and Holland and Reed for defense.
I don’t think it’s crazy to say this team would have a real shot at the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, with the Pistons finally having a two-way wing in MPJ who has championship experience and pedigree.
He’s young enough to fit the timeline long term, and with the addition of another big name in two years when Harris expires, this is the makings of a good team that will present mismatches all over the floor.
If this trade were ever on the table, the Pistons would jump at it, as giving up Stewart and two second-round picks for a legit wing is as easy as decisions come.