Trajan Langdon has just over a week to find the best possible deal for the Detroit Pistons at the trade deadline.
What that means depends on who you ask, as there are some who feel Detroit should swing for a big name like Zach LaVine or Brandon Ingram, others who want them to take on contracts for assets and plenty of fans would be fine with the team doing nothing.
Langdon will have to walk the tightrope of maximizing his cap space to add assets while still trying to add depth to a team that is in the mix for the playoffs.
It’s going to be interesting to see what he does, as it will give us a sure indication of where he sees this team and what his priorities for the rest of the season are.
We’ve seen all manner of trade proposals of late, most of which are laughable, but Bobby Marks of ESPN (subscription) recently laid out two that might be the most realistic given the context of where the Pistons are.
That doesn't mean they are good.
2 Proposed trades for the Detroit Pistons
Marks suggests these two trades which are separate from one another and would allow the Pistons to add some depth and young talent without giving up anything of value.
Here’s the first trade:
Detroit Pistons get: Jabari Walker
Portland Trail Blazers get: Wendell Moore Jr., 2027 second (worst of Nets or Mavs)
Walker is still only 22-years-old and had a promising second season for the Trail Blazers last season, averaging 8.9 points and 7.1 rebounds while scoring in double-digits nearly 30 times.
He’s a combo forward who can play a couple of spots and showed a decent shooting touch from long range in college, though that has not transferred to the NBA yet. He's mostly known as a hustle guy and rebounder.
He’s on an expiring, minimum contract, so the Pistons would essentially be betting that he has a better chance of success than Wendell Moore Jr. or a late 2nd-round pick.
I’m not sure I agree with either of those, so this seems a bit pointless, though it would give the Pistons a chance to take a flyer on a guy who has shown potential and do it for little cost since Moore Jr. won't be back next season anyway and they have multiple 2nd-round picks in 2027.
Marks also put the Pistons in a salary dump trade that would get them more depth at the big man spot, which is something they could use:
Detroit gets Kevon Looney and cash
Golden State gets: 2031 2nd-round pick (56-60)
Looney is another tweener who did have some solid years for Golden State. He’s also on an expiring deal and wouldn’t cost the Pistons anything other than a 2nd at the end of the 2031 draft, hardly anything to worry about.
Marks says Looney “would back up Jalen Duren” which makes me think he hasn’t watched the Pistons this season, as they have one of the best backup centers in the league in Isaiah Stewart.
They also have Paul Reed, who I would argue is better than Looney, so this is another one that doesn’t make any sense.
If the Pistons are going to take on other team’s problems, shouldn’t they be the ones getting compensated? If they are going to give up any draft assets (even these meager ones), shouldn’t it be for guys who will definitely be in the rotation?
In the right deal, the Pistons could find a better player than either of these guys (Bobbi Portis?) and potentially GET a draft pick for doing it.
Even though these trades might be a more realistic representation of what the Pistons will do, I think we’ll see other names, guys who can potentially join the rotation or players who come with draft assets attached.