If the NBA playoffs started today, your Detroit Pistons would be in them, which is not something most were expecting this season.
Whether that will hold is anyone’s guess, as the Pistons have been helped by a terrible Eastern Conference even though they have played one of the league’s toughest schedules.
While I don’t think the Pistons should sell out just to make the playoffs this season, they could add players at the deadline to make a stretch run without making any long-term commitments that would threaten the timeline and vision Trajan Langdon has for this team.
If the Pistons were to make even the play-in, they would potentially lose their first-round pick in 2025. That may not be the worst thing, as they would finally be out from under that stupid pick and able to make more impactful trades with draft assets.
It would also be a good sign that their young core is good enough and doesn’t need another teenaged prospect added to it.
While the Pistons shouldn’t go all-in on a monster trade, there are players out there who could help them without breaking the bank or requiring a commitment past this season.
Lonzo Ball
Ball came back after missing more than two years with a knee injury and promptly hurt his wrist after just three games. He’s set to be out for at least another week or two.
A healthy Ball is a player the Pistons could use, as he would provide a secondary creator, 3-point shooting and solid defense on the perimeter. He’s on an expiring contract and trading for him would give the Pistons an inside track to re-signing him on a short-term vet's minimum. Some team could get lucky with Lonzo, as he is still young and still good when he does play, but is going to have to take a lowball deal to re-establish his value.
The question is whether the Bulls will finally blow it up. The mediocre East has them dreaming of the playoffs again even though everyone except their owner and front office, including their fans and every NBA writer, thinks they need to dismantle this perpetual 10-seed.
If Lonzo is healthy, I’d drop a second-round pick for him, as he’d be great off the Pistons’ bench. But that “IF” is always gigantic when it comes to Lonzo.
Larry Nance Jr.
Nance Jr. is past his prime, but he’s still a player who could help the Pistons and give them some big-man depth.
He can protect the rim and spread the floor a little, and is a tough veteran who would be great in the locker room. He’s not playing much for Atlanta and is on an expiring deal, so might be available at the deadline for cheap.
He’s only 31, so could be a guy who fits nicely into a backup big-man role moving forward and if not, he’ll be a free agent after the season.
Dennis Schroder
I’ve been talking about Schroder as a possibility for a few weeks now, as I think he’d be a great addition.
He’s on one of the best value contracts in the league, and is putting up career-best numbers, especially from long range where he is shooting over 41 percent on 6.6 attempts per game.
Schroder could play either off or on the ball for Detroit, act as a creator when Cade Cunningham is out and give them someone to help close out late-game situations.
He’ll be a hot name at the trade deadline for sure, as he’s on an expiring contract on a team that will likely be tanking by then.
What would it cost to acquire him and would it be worth it for a rental? He could potentially be the backup point guard of the future if Detroit had aims on keeping him.
He’d be the most expensive of these three in terms of trade assets, but would provide the most impact if the Pistons are intent on making a real run at the playoffs.