Realistic or unrealistic? Fan trades and free agents for the Detroit Pistons

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The Detroit Pistons don’t have a decision-maker right now, and their GM is waiting to see if he is going to be fired.

So why not let the fans take over? This might have been the first season in history where fan GMs on Twitter could have done a better job than the actual GM, which tells you everything you need to know about the current state of the Pistons.

Beat reporter Omari Sankofa II asked fans to give their best “realistic” scenarios for the Pistons this summer. Fans aren’t usually good at realism, as we overvalue our own guys and come up with deals that help our team without thinking much about the other side.

Related Story. Grade the trade: Proposal has Pistons moving two young players. Grade the trade: Proposal has Pistons moving two young players. dark

So I’ve picked out a few fan ideas, some of which are more realistic than others.

The Detroit Pistons trading for Lauri Markkanen: Unrealistic

ivey or duren and pick for markennen wouldnt be terrible. better, somehow get booker if the suns flame out and blow it up. somehow convince pg to sign with us. mikal for a smaller haul than james suggested. sign a reliable rim protector (claxton/hartenstein). no lavine/harris
— someone (@a_shifty_guy) April 24, 2024

I’ve seen many versions of this idea, and have tried to come up with a few myself, but there is no realistic scenario in which the Pistons trade for Lauri Markkanen. I get the idea, as he would be a perfect fit and one of the ideal young bigs to complement Cade Cunningham. The problem is that he is very good, still young and on a team-friendly deal, so if Utah wants to trade him, there will be teams out there who can make better offers than the Pistons and they will be lined up to do so.

Fans need to realize that other teams may not view Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, two players who wouldn’t even have started last year for the 31-win Utah Jazz, the same as they do, and that they aren’t going to get a 26-year-old All-Star for unproven players and one pick in a crappy draft.

Pistons sign Malik Monk: Realistic

I’m on the Malik Monk train seems like a getable FA target
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) April 24, 2024

The Pistons will have more cap space than anyone, so if they want to splash out for Malik Monk, they can probably get him. Whether they should is another matter entirely, as I don’t see how another undersized guard who is a good-not-great 3-point shooter is really going to change their fate. Not only that, but with no other selling point, the Pistons will likely have to overpay to get him. Call me crazy, but there are guys in Monk’s tier you could have for cheaper and how far is a team with Monk as its second-best scorer really going to go?

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