The Detroit Pistons are fully immersed in a postseason battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and while the offseason may be the last thing the fanbase wants to talk about, it's clear that finding Cade Cunningham a viable second option should be a top priority for Trajan Langdon this offseason.
Detroit is seeing firsthand just how valuable having two dynamic scoring options can be for the Cavs with Donovan Mitchell and James Harden right now, and whether they're able to make it out of this series alive or not shouldn't derail the team's offseason plans.
Cunningham needs help, and looking around the league, there aren't many options financially that Detroit could justify making a bold swing for.
Fortunately, the brutal lesson Harden is teaching Detroit could also serve as a reminder of how the star guard's career began in Oklahoma City.
All that to say, the next Harden could be in OKC once again, and this time, the Pistons could be the team to unlock his potential.
Ajay Mitchell could be the next James Harden
Harden's career began with the Thunder, where he spent three seasons proving to be one of the best sixth men in the league before his desire for a larger role eventually led him to a trade with the Houston Rockets.
The guard broke out in Houston, and the rest was history. Now, when it's all said and done, the playmaker will be one of the best shooting guards to ever play the game.
Obviously, Mitchell has a long way to go to reach the Hall of Fame stature that Harden has claimed, but given what he's showcased in his two seasons in Oklahoma City, it's easy to see why many are labeling him as the next Harden, given his situation.
The Santa Clara product has emerged for the Thunder this season, taking a massive sophomore leap, averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds on 48.5% shooting from field goal range and 34.7% from beyond the arc.
And if those stats off the bench didn't prove just how good he can be, what he's shown in a starting role for the Thunder since the postseason began has.
Mitchell could perfectly complement Cade Cunningham
Mitchell is averaging 18.8 points per game through eight postseason games, but his dominant series display in the team's sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds, only added fuel to the fire of the player he could become in an expanded role.
Considering the Pistons' need to find a reliable running mate for Cunningham, Mitchell could offer exactly that without forcing Detroit to build a superstar-sized package to acquire him.
The only problems, though, would be whether or not the Thunder are willing to move on from him, or if the guard himself is looking for that expanded role elsewhere, or if he's fine winning in OKC until he's offered a more prominent role eventually.
Regardless, if the opportunity to land the 6-foot-4 playmaker presents itself, Detroit has to jump at it, given they're experiencing firsthand how dangerous the last Thunder prototype has become.
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