The Portland Trail Blazers’ surprising deal for Ja Morant may wind up mattering well beyond the Pacific Northwest, and Detroit is one of the teams that could feel the aftershocks.
Portland landed Morant in a move that qualifies as one of the offseason’s early stunners, even if the logic was pretty clear from Memphis’ side: the Grizzlies were eager to move him to anyone willing to take him. The Blazers bought in at a discount, betting Morant can rediscover the burst and playmaking that made him such a force early in his career.
But that kind of move can change the rest of a roster, too. Portland may now have more guards than it knows what to do with, and that has already led to speculation that veteran Jrue Holiday could be on the block. The wrinkle is that the Blazers also have several guards with injury concerns, so keeping the depth might end up making more sense than flipping it.
If Holiday does become available, Detroit should be paying attention.
He’d give the Pistons a short-term fix for some obvious problems in the backcourt, especially as a ball handler and scorer. He’d also bring defensive help, which matters just as much for a team trying to get cleaner minutes around Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson.
Holiday is 36, so he’s clearly in the later stage of his career, but the production is still there. Last season he averaged over 16 points and six assists while shooting 45/38/83. That’s the profile of a steady secondary creator, the kind of guard who can work both with the ball and without it, and that’s exactly the sort of support Detroit needs around Cunningham.
The shooting piece matters, too. Holiday got up more than six 3-pointers a game, and that checks another important box for a Pistons team that finished in the bottom half of the league from deep last season.
Then there’s the defense. Holiday isn’t the same All-Defense presence he once was, but he remains a strong one-on-one defender and would give JB Bickerstaff another player who can take on point-of-attack duties. That, in turn, could free up Ausar Thompson to do more of what he does best - roaming, chasing blocks, and cleaning up on the glass instead of always having to take the toughest perimeter assignment.
That kind of lineup flexibility could even open the door for Detroit to add a power forward who isn’t as strong defensively, since Holiday would help cover some of those gaps on the perimeter.
The contract is real, of course. Holiday is owed two more seasons at $34 million and $37 million.
But compared with some of the other names Detroit has been linked to, he would cost less to acquire. And there’s obvious appeal in bringing in a veteran with championship experience who’s known as a good teammate and a genuinely well-liked presence wherever he’s been.
So while this isn’t some must-do move, it’s easy to see why it makes sense. If the Pistons can land Holiday without burning through too much of their asset stash, it’s the kind of move that deserves serious consideration.
And with the Jalen Duren situation making the roster look more fragile than expected, Detroit has reasons to stay open-minded. The Morant trade may have started as Portland’s surprise, but it could still end up creating an opening the Pistons are smart enough to use.
In Other News...
Tobias Harris Just Put The Pistons In A Tough Spot
The Pistons are staring at an offseason decision that goes well beyond just filling a roster spot. Tobias Harris remains one of Detroits upcoming free agents, and the front office has not locked in its new contracts yet, leaving his place in the rotation tied to a broader search for help at power forward. Harris still matters to this team because of what he brings as a scorer and a veteran presence, even as the Pistons weigh whether the position can be upgraded through other avenues.
Detroits challenge is figuring out how to balance those traits against the kind of frontcourt fit it wants moving forward. Harris has value, but the Pistons are also evaluating whether to pursue a different look at power forward through free agency or a trade, especially if they want more reliable two-way play there. For now, his status leaves the team in a familiar holding pattern, with a useful contributor in the middle of a bigger roster puzzle and no clear resolution yet on how it ends. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons May Have A Cheap Path To The Scorer Cade Needs
The Pistons have spent much of the offseason looking for ways to raise the ceiling around Cade Cunningham, and the front office still has work to do after adding only Isaiah Joe so far. With Jalen Durens future drawing some attention because of possible sign-and-trade noise, Detroit is also keeping an eye on more immediate scoring help, especially a veteran who could take pressure off Cunningham and stabilize the half-court offense.
DeMar DeRozan has emerged as one of the names worth watching, with the idea being that his market could open up if Sacramento is forced into a more creative solution with his deal. A six-time All-Star who averaged 18.4 points last season, DeRozan would give the Pistons a proven perimeter creator and another player defenses have to account for, which is exactly the kind of option Detroit has lacked beside Cunningham. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Sasser Rumors Could Signal A Much Bigger Pistons Move
Rumors around Marcus Sasser have put a quiet but notable trade possibility on the Pistons radar, with Dallas mentioned as a possible landing spot. For a Detroit team still sorting out its roster and payroll, even a move involving a young guard like Sasser could open the door to something more meaningful, whether that means adding a useful rotation piece or simply creating more flexibility for later decisions.
The names tied to the conversation give a sense of the range Detroit could be exploring, from role players like Naji Marshall or Max Christie to a bigger frontcourt fit such as P.J. Washington. Even if the likeliest path is a modest return, the fact that Sassers name is showing up in broader trade chatter suggests the Pistons may be using this moment to see just how far a smaller deal can take them. [Read more 🡒]