The Detroit Pistons are coming off of a storybook campaign that featured a historic one-season turnaround and their first playoff victory in nearly two decades. Yes, they lost in the first round to the New York Knicks. But it is also true that they are young, ascending, talented, and dangerous.
It is also true that they have enough young and talented players, that they are about to get awfully expensive. Cade Cunningham, rightfully, has already gotten paid as the superstar leader of this team who
is bound to get better over the next few seasons.
After that, the books are quite clean. But Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren are entering the final season of their contracts prior to restricted free agency, and Ausar Thompson isn’t far behind.
Of the myriad questions this team faces as it looks to continue building toward an NBA title contender are: who fits long term with Cade? Is anyone going to be a true second star? Do you push your chips in and make a consolidation trade? If so, when?
That last question has been answered in a thought exercise from Michael Pina of The Ringer. Yes, you push your chips in, and you do it now. And you do it for Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.
The 28-year-old sharpshooter is coming off his worst season since he resurrected his career in Cleveland — notably under the guidance of current Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff.
But the Jazz are not trying to win, and certainly not trying to maximize the effectiveness of their star. Heck, they barely let him play last season.
That wouldn’t be the case in Detroit. But he obviously wouldn’t come cheaply.
Pina’s pitch includes:
- Jaden Ivey
- Tobias Harris (expiring)
- Bobi Klintman
- Two 1st-round picks
From the Pistons’ perspective, Pina makes his case:
In a limp Eastern Conference, with complementary internal growth on their side, an immediate conference finals run wouldn’t be outlandish. Last season, the Pistons honed a successful identity that was based on toughness, physicality, and open-floor athleticism. Markkanen can smooth the edges in a half-court offense that ranked 19th, expanding Bickerstaff’s playbook without taking anything off the table defensively or on the glass. Don’t let Markkanen’s outside touch fool you: This is a large man who enjoys contact.
There’s risk here for Detroit, sure. Markkanen is very good but might not be “missing piece” good for an organization that hasn’t won a playoff series in almost two decades. He also regularly misses quite a bit of time, with the 68 games he appeared in as a rookie still standing as a career high. But Cunningham is a franchise player who deserves a slightly accelerated timeline, and there’s no guarantee anyone better will come along. The time to strike—to lock up a team that can mature and climb together—is now.
Pina goes on to compare this prospective Pistons deal with the trade the Indiana Pacers swung a few years ago for Pascal Siakam. At the time, his skill was never really in question — but his age, cost, and the ceiling of a very young Pacers team definitely was.
After an improbable run to the NBA Finals, it feels like Indiana has definitely won the argument.
That deal had a similar cost — three first-round picks and some bodies, which included former Piston Bruce Brown. Two of those draft picks were Isaiah Collier and Ja’Kobe Walter. The third will be Indiana’s own in 2026.
Jaden Ivey was playing great before his injury. He could be that second star next to Cade Cunningham. But maybe he isn’t. Or maybe the skills aren’t complementary enough. Or maybe that mix of Ivey’s speed and Cunningham’s savvy is exactly what Detroit needs.
The loss of Tobias Harris would be no small thing, either. He played a crucial veteran role for the Pistons in their first legitimate run to the playoffs in forever, and he was always there when you needed him.
Markkanen is more talented, yes, but he is also less reliable. Where would the Pistons turn if and when Lauri starts missing games?
It is a tough question to answer, but it is also the most important question facing the Pistons now and into the future. How do you go from the fun underdog everyone was rooting for into a true title contender.
It feels like teams get one shot at this team-building thing, and if they blow that first big move, it is hard to recover from. Would you make this trade? Trade for a different star? Or just run it back?
