The Pistons Are Really Good. Should They Make a Big Trade Now?
On the NBA's hottest team, what the Pistons need to see from the roster before making significant changes, future impending contract decisions, and why they may stand pat ahead of the trade deadline.
If you’ve only been following the NBA for a couple of years, it may surprise you to know that the Detroit Pistons used to be one of the staples of competency. They could be depended on to be competitive as teams like the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks. Their core in the 2000s went to the Eastern Conference Finals six straight seasons without a superstar.
They’ve since been more associated with teams in the bottom tier of the league. The Pistons were in the wilderness for over a decade, trying to regain relevance without undergoing a full rebuild. Years of shortcuts resulted in virtually no success and no cornerstones to give them an identity.
That’s why when they won the 2021 Draft Lottery and the right to select Cade Cunningham, it felt like one of those few times where the lottery gods blessed the team that arguably needed it the most. That was the beginning of their ascent back to relevancy.
The Pistons are currently first in the Eastern Conference with a 13-2 record and an 11-game winning streak. They have the 4th-best net rating in the league and are being carried by their second-ranked defense. And they’ve been trucking along despite injuries throughout the roster.
Jaden Ivey has yet to play a game this season. Tobias Harris hasn’t played since November 1. Most of their starters have also missed time during this recent stretch, and often simultaneously. Doesn’t matter; the Pistons keep winning.
The Pistons have a high floor driven by their defense. They’ve got one of the best defensive foundations in the league with Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, and Isaiah Stewart. They’ve got strong rim protection at all times and are tough to penetrate when all three share the court together.
Stewart is making a strong case for an All-Defense team. He’s played well enough on both ends of the court to start on many other teams, making his $15 million annual salary one of the league’s biggest bargains. He’s played well enough for his maximum allowable extension next offseason, which would pay him $23.5 million annually, to be something the Pistons look into.
Duren will make the All-Star game if he continues this production. He and the Pistons couldn’t agree on an extension last month after he demanded at least $30 million annually, according to Jake Fischer. It seems like that should be his floor in negotiations ahead of his restricted free agency this summer.
And most importantly, Cunningham has crept into the top-10 player conversation. If he isn’t one already, he’s going to be a superstar.
The longer this continues, the more it feels like they should make a big all-in trade. But should the Pistons make that type of move already?