The latest rumor that just won’t die is that the Detroit Pistons will pursue Lauri Markkanen before the trade deadline.
Everyone from Zach Lowe to Bill Simmons has beaten this drum, one that does have some intrigue given Markkanen’s connection to JB Bickerstaff and the fact that Trajan Langdon was reportedly interested in Markkanen during his time in New Orleans.
On paper, it makes some sense, but in reality, there are red flags that I’ve discussed numerous times. Markkanen is a bad defender and doesn’t fit in at all with the culture the Pistons have right now. He’s a walking injury risk who has never made the playoffs, and he’s making a ton of money.
It would require at least three players to get him, which would eat into the depth that has been a huge strength for the Pistons during this 14-2 start.
They also have team chemistry to consider, as this team loves playing together and feeds off of each other, so there is no telling how removing two or three parts would affect that.
There’s also Utah’s asking price, which is certain to be astronomical, and according to one insider, a player that is untouchable for the Pistons.
The Detroit Pistons are not trading Ausar Thompson
I’d say the trio of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are untouchable at this point, but according to Jake Fischer (subscription), Utah would likely seek Thompson as part of any deal for Markkanen:
“Another likely obstacle that should be factored into the persistent Markkanen-to-Detroit speculation: Utah would almost certainly want Thompson in return. Sources say that the Jazz, in fact, considered trading up to select him during the 2023 NBA Draft...The Pistons, as you can imagine, do not want to trade their Thompson twin.”
The Pistons’ success is built on their defensive identity, and Ausar Thompson is at the heart of that. Trading him for a player that barely plays defense at all, regardless of how talented he is as a scorer, is an immediate non-starter for the Pistons. I am totally biased here, but I wouldn’t trade Ausar for Markkanen straight up and the Jazz are sure to want draft picks and other players on top of that. Hard pass.
Luckily, Trajan Langdon knows this and has been preaching patience this whole time. I’d be surprised if the Pistons pursued a huge trade, and it certainly won’t be one that involves Thompson.
Detroit looks like a contender in the Eastern Conference right now and just got Jaden Ivey and Tobias Harris back, so there is no reason to make a drastic move until they get a better look at this team at full strength.
Fans who are dreaming of Markkanen will likely have to keep dreaming if the price tag includes Ausar Thompson, which is a no-brainer decision for the Pistons.