The Detroit Pistons reportedly agreed to trade Isaiah Stewart, their longest tenured player, on Wednesday night for a trio of second-round picks. But that small move might point to something larger, as ESPN reports that the Pistons are looking to go “big game hunting” this offseason. What does big game hunting mean in reality? Brian Windhorst and Bobby Marks, who were discussing potential Pistons plans during the NBA Draft broadcast, dropped names like Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James as potential targets.
The Pistons have been looking to upgrade scoring and playmaking with two positions — power forward and shooting guard the most obvious targets. The Pistons have incumbent starter Duncan Robinson under contract, and he could shift to a bench role or be included in any trade for an under-contract player. Tobias Harris is an unrestricted free agent, but the two sides reportedly have mutual interest in seeing the longtime veteran return. Though he, too, could be moved in a deal as a sign-and-trade piece to help make salary work.
Leonard would be a risky play for any acquiring team with an extensive injury history, a need to manage his workload throughout the season, and potential penalties related to alleged off-book payments from the Los Angeles Clippers or that the NBA is still investigating.
James, meanwhile, is trying to figure out where he fits for the final season or two of his career. The Los Angeles Lakers are a natural fit, but when the team unexpectedly was able to trade for Luka Doncic, it became Luka’s team, and James had to take a backseat.
There are other big-name players who have been seen as potentially available after their respective teams came up short, including Jamal Murray in Denver and LaMelo Ball in Charlotte.
Of course, wanting to go “big game hunting” and being able to seal the deal are two very different things. We will see how Detroit’s offseason develops. It’ll be a big one.
