Proposed Pistons trade takes advantage of OKC's depth

It seems far too early to be talking about potential trades for the Detroit Pistons, but silly season in the NBA never really stops. 

The Pistons have improved so far this season but are still rebuilding and should always be looking for ways to add long-term assets. 

One team that could be active this season is the OKC Thunder, who are loaded with draft assets and young players, practically enough for a second team. 

They are especially deep at guard, where Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, Aaron Wiggins, Ousmane Dieng and Isaiah Joe are all fighting for minutes. 

The Thunder could load up a trade package to try and land a star, but it’s more likely they add complementary pieces given they are rolling and the odds-on favorite to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals this season. 

They could use some size and shooting on the wing, so would the Pistons help them out in exchange for a long-term prospect? 

Pistons rumors: Trading for Cason Wallace 

A recent article in Bleacher Report named a “dream” and “realistic” trade target for every team. The dream target for the Pistons was first-round draft picks, which they will certainly look to accumulate as Trajan Langdon continues the rebuild. 

The “realistic” target was Cason Wallace from OKC, who they suggested could be had for Simone Fontecchio and a sweetener or two. 

This is an interesting suggestion, especially given Fontecchio has only been playing 18 minutes per game on average this season. The emergence of Tim Hardaway Jr. and rookie Ron Holland has also made Fontecchio more expendable. 

So, is this a deal the Pistons and/or Thunder would consider? 

Is Cason Wallace a good fit on the Detroit Pistons? 

Yes and no. 

Wallace is a dawg on defense with great length, so in that regard, JB Bickerstaff would love him. He shoots the 3-ball well (hasn’t so far this season, but hit 41 percent last year) and can play on or off the ball, which would allow him to play in a lot of different lineups. 

Wallace is only 21 and has two more seasons on his contract after this one (both team options), so this would be more of a long-term investment. 

On paper, Wallace is a great fit with either Cade Cunningham or Jaden Ivey, as he’s an active defender who can cover some of their weaknesses. 

Also, the Pistons don’t have much long-term depth behind their two star guards, as Marcus Sasser has been glued to the bench (what a waste of a draft pick that they traded up to get) and Malik Beasley is on an expiring deal. 

I love Wallace’s long-term fit with the Pistons even if his short-term fit is less seamless. 

The Pistons would have some chaotic defenders to unleash in Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland and Wallace and all would be on the same timeline. 

Simone Fontecchio is only signed for one more season anyway, though losing him would eat into their forward depth, which is already sketchy with Thompson out. Also, Wallace has been a good spot-up shooter but is not a high-volume guy, more of a 3-and-D guard in the vein of KCP, so the Pistons would lose some shooting.

It’s an interesting trade suggestion that would probably come down to what “sweeteners” the Thunder wanted. If they were willing to take Sasser or even Beasley, this might be one Langdon would jump at, as it would give him a lengthy guard who can get after it on defense, which is something they lack.