The Pistons' collapse in Game 7 against the Cavaliers was a pain only shared in recent history by the 2022 Suns, who lost by 33 at home as the 1st seed in Round 2. Following the humiliating loss, the Suns began pursuing stars in trades that ultimately backfired on them. The Pistons should be active in the trade market this summer, but the Suns' example shows that giving up significant assets for stars isn't always guaranteed to succeed.
The Suns were in the same boat and made the wrong choices
Phoenix was coming off a franchise-record 64 wins just one season after making it to the Finals. They had high hopes for the 2022 playoffs, but fell short in disastrous fashion against the Mavericks. Unfortunately for Suns fans, the team's front office panicked soon after and tore their core apart to chase big names.
The first blow came when the Suns traded for Kevin Durant a few months later. The move was understandable for one of the best scorers in league history, but the Suns gave up Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and 4 first-round picks for him. Rather than trusting in their young players to keep developing, the Suns cashed in for a better chance at winning right away.
But the worse mistake was probably trading for Bradley Beal in 2023. The Suns gave up Chris Paul and multiple picks in that deal, but Beal did not live up to expectations. At that point, Phoenix would have been better off making smaller deals to upgrade the overall roster rather than chasing more star power.
The Pistons must learn from the Suns' mistakes
Just a few short years later, the Suns have won zero playoff games since trading for Beal. They don't have either of their star trade targets on the team any longer, forced to trade them for meager returns or waive them outright. Obviously, the Pistons don't want to find themselves in the same position any time soon.
One key weakness for the Suns' failed big 3 was the redundancy in skillset between Beal, Durant and Devin Booker. All three liked to score in similar ways and lacked the necessary playmaking to keep the offense humming. The Pistons must be keenly aware of the synergy and redundancy between any trade targets and their current star players, especially Cade Cunningham.
While it's important for the Pistons to address their weaknesses this summer, the Suns also remind us that the grass isn't always greener after making big trades. Detroit's front office must be careful in who they target and what assets they give up in potential trades. Sometimes making the wrong trade is worse than just standing pat and letting young players develop.
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