If you were going to pick a young forward to join the Detroit Pistons, Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans would be high on the list.
He’s 24-years-old, an elite shooter who can rebound, play defense and showed some playmaking chops this season with the Pels’ offense often running through him.
TMIII is also on a team-friendly contract that extends through the 2028-29 season, so he’d be a long-term piece who is a perfect fit with Cade Cunningham and the rest of the young core.
Trajan Langdon knows all of this well, as he was part of the front office that drafted Murphy, so you can bet he’s keeping an open line to New Orleans if he is truly available.
I’m not sure why Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver (still can’t believe these two are heading a front office in 2025) would want to trade TMIII, as he is the prototype of the modern wing and signed to a great deal.
But other than trading Zion Williamson, Murphy is NOLA’s best asset and Dumars would hold out for a big haul.
According to ClutchPoints, that haul is in the range of a “A serviceable veteran who can log postseason minutes, a decent prospect, and multiple first-round picks...”
Depending on which prospect they’d want, this is a cost the Pistons could and probably should absorb.
Detroit Pistons trade rumors: Trey Murphy III is a player worth chasing
I would take this proposed trade cost with a grain of salt, as the Pels are going to hold out for as much as they can get and are likely just testing the waters.
Detroit has the veteran (Tobias Harris, Simone Fontecchio), the prospect (Ron Holland, Jaden Ivey) and four tradable first-round picks at their disposal as well as a ton of extra second rounders.
If you are telling me the cost is Simone Fontecchio, Ron Holland and two picks, I am doing that deal and hanging up the phone quickly, but we all know it would be more than that.
Sending Harris would likely require another player coming back from New Orleans (or a third team) to be able to match salaries, as Harris and TMIII make around the same next season and the Pistons still need to add another player.
Would Harris, Ivey and a pick or two be enough? Is that palatable to the Pistons? Losing two starters would be tough, but let’s also remember that Ivey only played 30 games this season and Harris is on an expiring deal.
Would the Pels take a package centered around Isaiah Stewart, Holland and picks? Again, that is one Detroit would have to consider.
The only young player I wouldn’t put on the table is Ausar Thompson, as he is the type of unicorn you just can’t give away and it’s his defense that makes these shooting wings so appealing.
Cade, Ausar, TMIII, Harris and Duren is a nice starting point, and if Detroit brings back Beasley, would allow the Pistons to have an elite shooter on the floor at all times.
Then there’s the CJ McCollum factor. Would the Pistons be willing to take on one year of his salary to help the Pels clear their books? There is plenty to consider here, but the Pistons and Pels have connections that can’t be ignored and could end up making a deal this summer.