At some point in the next two seasons, we will likely see the Detroit Pistons make a big trade.
It’s the most feasible way for a team like the Pistons to get a star, as they are not a free-agent destination and have been bad for so long that few top players have Detroit as atop their wish list of places to play.
Trajan Langdon hopes to change that, but first he has to build a credible roster, acquire more assets and evaluate his young players.
We may not see Langdon make his move for a season or two, but as far as next year, here are the players most likely to be traded. Some of these guys make no sense for Detroit, while others could be salary dumps or great fits.
Top NBA trade targets this season
The Lakers
-D’Angelo Russell
-Rui Hachimura
-Jarred Vanderbilt
-Gabe Vincent
-Cam Reddish
The Lakers have a full roster and are just under the second apron, which is the good news for them.
The bad news is that most of their roster is filled with mediocre to bad players who aren’t going to get them any closer to a title.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis need some help, and with no money to do it, the Lakers are eventually going to have to give up assets to clear cap space and add talent if they want to max out their window of opportunity with these two.
Enter the Pistons, who would be glad to take on short-term salary for draft picks. I could definitely see Gabe Vincent and a few second-round picks coming into Detroit’s remaining cap space at some point.