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.
The trade rumor kings
-Brandon Ingram
-Jerami Grant
We’ve talked about both of these guys plenty, but it does seem like someone is going to get a bargain with one or both of them.
Ingram’s issue is health and future salary, while Grant’s is just that he’s owed a ton of money and is really no more than the 3rd or 4th-best player on a good team but is getting paid like he’s more.
Teams have been reluctant to trade for either of them, but if the price drops, that could change. New Orleans won’t go into the luxury tax and have other players they want to extend, not to mention that they don’t want to enter the season with Ingram rumors hanging over them.
Portland’s asking price for Grant is laughable, as no one is giving up multiple picks for him. The teams that really need him don’t have the picks to give up and he doesn’t fit the timeline of most of the rebuilds.
At some point, these two teams are going to get desperate and move these guys, whose talents are now being underrated. I still can’t see Detroit getting involved but if the price is right, who knows.
The rest of the Trail Blazers
-Robert Williams III
-Anfernee Simons
According to Bleacher Report, the Trail Blazers are not yet shopping Deandre Ayton, but I find that hard to believe given that they just drafted his replacement and also have Robert Williams III on the roster.
Thank god Troy Weaver is not still around or he’d probably have already traded for Ayton.
Either Williams III or Simons would be interesting options for the Pistons, as they still need shot blocking and scoring from the wing. I’d be looking to buy low on Williams III, who has been hurt but who is very effective around the rim when he isn’t.
The Brooklyn Nets mess
-Cam Johnson
-Dorian Finney-Smith
-Bojan Bogdanovic
-Dennis Schroder
-Ben Simmons
Most of these guys are an obvious “no” particularly Ben Simmons unless the Nets want to attach several draft picks. At this point, he’s on an expiring deal, so they may as well just ride it out while they are tanking.
Johnson is slightly overpaid for his health and production and DFS is more likely headed to a contender, same with Bogdanovic, who I never want to see in a Detroit uniform again, no offense Bogey.
I wish the Pistons had signed Dennis Schroder in free agency to be their backup last season, as he was a value signing wo could have helped their young guards.
It’s hard to see Detroit trading for either of these guys unless the Nets just want to dump Johnson for very little.
The Washington Wizards mess
-Kyle Kuzma
-Jonas Valanciunas
-Richaun Holmes
-Jordan Poole
-Malcolm Brogdon
What are the Wizards even doing? They had the weirdest offseason of any team, adding guys like Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas to a terrible roster while giving up on Deni Avdija, one of the only good young players they had.
Make it make sense. Oh, they also added Troy Weaver to their front office, so maybe this does make sense, especially after he signed Saddiq Bey. I feel for you, Wizards fans, I really do.
I don’t want any part of any of these players. Now that the Pistons signed Tobias Harris, they have no need for Kuzma and the rest of the players are either too old or not very good in the case of Poole.
The Chicago Bulls
-Zach LaVine
-Nikola Vucevic
LaVine falls into the same category as Brandon Ingram for me, in that there is a price at which you’d be stupid not to take him.
If the Bulls want to give up assets to take on LaVine at the deadline, he’s a possibility, though that third year on his deal does not fit the timeline Langdon has established.
Vucevic is another guy I’d consider taking on if there was a pick attached, as his contract is far more manageable, only runs two more seasons and he’d add another possible floor spreader to the big-man unit even though he’s terrible defensively.
These two are long shots and the Pistons should stay clear unless there are assets attached.
The Toronto Raptors at a crossroad
-Bruce Brown Jr.
-Chris Boucher
-Jakob Poltl
-Kelly Olynyk
The Raptors are stuck in NBA limbo, as they are probably a little too good to tank but not good enough to seriously challenge for anything in the Eastern Conference.
For the first time in a long time, it seems as if the Raptors don’t know what they are or what they are doing and that they need to choose a direction.
I love Bruce Brown and would love to have him back in Detroit, but they are not in a position to be giving up assets for role players at this stage. I’d say the same about the rest of this list, as they are more complementary players who would help the deep bench of a good team.
The Utah Jazz
-Collin Sexton
-John Collins
-Jordan Clarkson
-Walker Kessler
Hmmmm.
I do like Sexton and feel like he’s a value on his current contract. He’s a bucket off the bench, but the problem is that he wouldn’t be coming off the bench in Detroit, as he’s currently better than any guard they have not named Cade.
If the Pistons were to move Jaden Ivey, Sexton might be an option, as he is on a team-friendly deal and can provide some scoring punch.
But he’s probably in the category of Bruce Brown in that the Pistons just don’t have spare assets to use to snag role players when they are still bad.
Kessler is apparently available at the right price, but knowing Danny Ainge, he’s probably asking for four first-round picks.
I’d at least inquire about him if I were Detroit, as he’d be a great complement to Duren. How about we send them an Ivey package for Kessler?
The young stars
-Jonathan Kuminga
-Jalen Green
-Alperen Sengun
Now we’re talking.
All of these players could be available at some point this season and represent the kind of young star power the Pistons could be targeting.
Kuminga is a bit overrated at this point, as he’s shown flashes but that’s it and Golden State is acting like they are sitting on the next LeBron James. Hard to see him coming to Detroit under any circumstances.
I’d probably say the same of Jalen Green, as he’s not a clear fit unless they were to move other young players. He’s also a risky max extension in my opinion, as he’s shown star power but has been very inconsistent.
Sengun would be a great match with Cade Cunningham offensively and would give the Pistons two young guys who could make the All-Star team next season.
If any of these three actually end up on the trade market, there will be suitors who can likely outbid the Pistons, but they are names to watch.
Miscellaneous players on the trade market
-Corey Kispert
-Jeff Green
-Jae’Sean Tate
-Jock Landale
Probably not much here for Detroit as primary targets, but these are the types of players they might be able to take on in a three-team trade.
The Pistons don’t have much cap space, but they have some and could likely take on another contract to help grease the wheels of a trade while adding an asset or two.
Second-round picks are more valuable in the apron era, so if the Pistons can take on a contract for a few of them they should.
There are other names that will hit the NBA rumor mill this season but this list is a good start on guys that are mostly likely to end up on new teams.