The Detroit Pistons are one of the hottest names at the NBA trade deadline due to their cap space, roster flexibility and tradable contracts.
Rumors heated even more when it was reported that the Pistons may be re-thinking their deadline strategy after playing to a .500 record through the first half of the season.
The Pistons don’t want to do anything that disrupts the core and culture they are building too much, but with Jaden Ivey potentially out for the season, they need another playmaker and scorer if they are going to stay in the playoff race.
It’s a tough call for Trajan Langdon, who probably didn’t expect to be in this position, as the Pistons entered the season firmly in development and evaluation mode.
Two of the names we’ve heard most this year are Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine, two talented former All-Stars who come with obvious red flags when it comes to injury history and team success.
Both are complicated because of salary, as Ingram will be a free agent after this season and LaVine still has two more very expensive years left on his deal.
Bleacher Report recently suggested a trade that would be risky for everyone involved, but could pay off big for the Pistons.
Detroit Pistons trade: 3-Team trade with the Bulls and Pelicans
Here is the full trade B/R proposed:
I’m not sure the Bulls or Pelicans could stomach this one. Chicago gets off LaVine’s deal, but then potentially gets right back into contract hell with Ingram if they want to keep him, all for one 2nd-round pick and Wendell Moore Jr.
At this point, a deal like this might be the best the Pelicans can hope for, as Ingram is hurt and becomes a free-agent after the season. They get two second-round picks from Detroit, one of which is from Toronto and currently 34th overall.
But I’ll ignore the other teams involved and look at the potential for the Pistons.
We know the risks of trading for Zach LaVine
As a player, LaVine checks all of the boxes for what the Pistons need right now, as he’d replace Ivey’s scoring (and then some) and give Detroit another playmaker to help Cade Cunningham.
LaVine is having a great season, averaging 24 points per game on outstanding 51/45/81 shooting splits. He’s hitting a high rate of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, but still makes plays on the ball, averaging 4.6 assists per game.
The risks are well established, as LaVine is a walking injury who has $45 and 48 million left on his deal for the next two seasons after this one.
The risk is that the Pistons become the Bulls, a team that hovers around .500 for a few seasons but isn’t really good enough to compete for a title and is hampered by a big salary they can’t shed.
The Pistons would also get Torrey Craig, longtime favorite of this site, a veteran rotation player who can give them minutes at a couple of different positions.
It would be a chance for the Pistons to get an All-Star talent without giving up a first-round pick or any of their core young guys. He’d give insurance against an extended Ivey absence and allow Ivey to work himself back in from the bench, giving the Pistons more offensive firepower.
The risk is reflected in the cost though, and there is significant risk when it comes to LaVine.
It’s a tough call, one that I think Langdon will ultimately avoid, as he knows what it is like to be the GM of a team with injury-prone players on big contracts after his time with the Pelicans.