The Detroit Pistons have been promising big changes and improvement for years, so fans are rightfully skeptical that it will happen this offseason after being treated to the Joe Harris, Monte Morris debacle last summer.
They did shake up the roster at the deadline, shedding some dead weight, though Troy Weaver once again had to give up assets to do it in the case of Marvin Bagley III, who has played well for the Wizards since the trade after being benched in favor of James Wiseman.
Detroit has a promising core, but they are still very young and need a proven star or two to round out their roster. Their best trade asset is likely their 2024 draft pick, which will almost certainly be in the top-5 for the 4th season in a row.
The Pistons may decide they love someone in this draft and just add another young player, or they could try to use the pick in a trade to land a proven star. There will undoubtedly be some available this summer, though the Pistons will have to wait until draft day if they want to trade their pick.
Here are six players who make sense and might be worth giving up a top-5 pick (plus more) to attain.
Possible star trades for the Detroit Pistons
Brandon Ingram/Zion Williamson
I am going to lump these two together, as one of them is likely to be traded this summer. The Pelicans aren’t a team that is going to pay the luxury tax and their roster is about to get much more expensive, so it makes sense for them to trade one of their two stars, especially considering there are still questions about whether they are a good fit together.
Given his contract (which only has one year remaining), Brandon Ingram is more likely to be moved. I’ve written plenty about Ingram already, so I won’t belabor the point, but a top-5 pick would at least be a starting point for a trade.
Jaylen Brown
The Celtics are also up against a salary crunch, though they are riding the best record in the league and not thinking about anything except a title right now. Whether they win one, or flame out again, they may have to make some tough calls, as they will have over $170 million invested in just their starting five next season and have what will likely be a record-breaking supermax extension for Jayson Tatum looming.
Once he gets that, they are looking at having nearly $120 million per season invested in two players.
They could trade Jrue Holiday or Derrick White to get some relief, or they could trade Jaylen Brown to reap a huge package in return.
Even if the Pistons were to land the #1 pick, I’m not sure they’d have the assets to get Brown, who is one of the best two-way wings in the game.
But the Pistons would be one of the only teams in a position to take on his enormous salary, so a top-5 pick would at least get them in the conversation. There are other teams who could offer more in terms of draft capital, so this would be the longest of longshots for the Pistons and very unlikely to happen.
Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota is another team in salary cap hell that will have to make some tough calls after this season, which may include trading big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns is a questionable fit with Jalen Duren, but he is having an amazing season and has evolved into one of the best 3-point shooters in the game, hitting nearly 44 percent on over five attempts per game, so it could work offensively.
The defense may be another story, as the Pistons don’t have the luxury of a Rudy Gobert cleaning things up in the paint.
Given his massive remaining salary, KAT won’t have a ton of suitors, which could make him a bargain for the Pistons if he ends up on the trade block. The Timberwolves will be looking for a couple of draft picks and maybe a young player but will mostly be dealing for salary relief.
That puts KAT on the Pistons’ radar, though they would have to make other changes to their roster to make the fit work.
Devin Booker
This is another one that falls into the extreme longshot category, as the Suns aren’t likely to move the centerpiece of their team.
However, if they were to flame out in the first round of the playoffs, we can’t rule out the finicky Kevin Durant trying to orchestrate another trade, and if he does, Booker might not be far behind.
If the Suns see that they can’t win a title with their current Big 3, then blowing it up is an option and they’d get a king’s ransom in return.
Booker may have some interest in playing for his hometown team and former coach Monty Williams if Monty is still the coach next season.
A lot would have to go right for this to happen, but you better believe I’ll be cheering for whoever the Suns are playing in the first round of the playoffs, hoping they get swept and their stars ask out.
Lauri Markkanen
As far as pure fit, there might not be a better player for the Detroit Pistons than Lauri Markkanen, a seven-foot power forward who would fill an immediate need.
He’s also the perfect age, is a good defender who affects shots with his height on the perimeter and under the hoop. He’s a fit with Duren and would give the Pistons the floor spreader at the four that they’ve been missing.
But what would it take to get him?
He was in some trade rumors early in the season, but Utah put a stop to those by saying they’d want a deal like the one they got for Rudy Gobert. If that’s the case, the Pistons are probably out, as they don’t have 4-5 draft picks to trade.
But what about a top-5 pick this year, a future first, a young player, and a ton of second-round picks and swaps? It might be enough to move the needle and Troy Weaver should definitely find out, as Markkanen is the exact prototype of what the Pistons need.