The Detroit Pistons have some good young talent but need to find a way to transform it into a competitive team.
Troy Weaver (if he is still around this offseason) will be feeling the pressure to build a winner, a prospect that should both excite and terrify fans of the Pistons, as a desperate GM can be a dangerous thing.
Adding another top-5 pick and a few role players in free agency isn't going to fix this messy roster, so the Pistons have to prepare to make trades this summer. Here are four scenarios they must be ready for.
4. Shopping Jaden Ivey
Jaden Ivey has regressed this season and has struggled mightily since the All-Star break. But even worse is the fact that he still has no clear role for the Detroit Pistons. Ivey is still very young and will improve but how long should the Pistons watch the backcourt experiment with Cade Cunningham before pulling the plug?
Given his skillset, Ivey might be the most expendable of their young players, and if the Pistons can use him in a package to get a more proven player, they have to consider it. This isn’t a knock on Ivey, but he’s not been put in the best environment to thrive and isn’t the best complement to the Pistons' only star player.
That doesn’t mean they have to trade Ivey, as he still has big upside and it’s possible he’ll be moved to a different role next season, but they have to be ready to do it if the right deal comes along.