The Pistons still haven’t landed the kind of big trade swing that changes the conversation around the roster, but they may already have their next regular in mock deals. For the last couple of years, that role belonged to Tobias Harris. Now it could be John Collins.
Collins enters next season as Detroit’s second-highest-paid player behind only Cunningham, at least until the Pistons sort out a possible extension for Jalen Duren. Even then, Duren probably isn’t the one who gets moved. Collins is the more obvious name to keep circling in trade chatter.
That’s the reality of the contract more than the player. Detroit signed Collins to a three-year, $51 million deal, with the final two years not fully guaranteed. That kind of structure makes him a natural trade chip if the Pistons decide they need a bigger upgrade.
The need is clear enough. The biggest lesson from last season was that Cunningham needs more help creating offense, and a trade looks like the cleanest way to get it. Detroit didn’t make that move this summer, though Collins was its biggest addition while Harris walked in free agency and signed with the San Antonio Spurs.
Harris was a useful piece in Detroit and mattered to the team’s success. Collins could be just as important once he takes the floor.
But that won’t stop the rumors from starting up. Harris spent years getting dragged into mock trades because his salary helped the Pistons match bigger money in potential deals, and Collins is likely headed for the same treatment.
At this point, it has little to do with what Collins has done in a Pistons uniform, because he hasn’t played a game for them yet. It’s about the number on the contract. That alone is enough to keep his name floating through trade talks.
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The fit matters because Detroit wants to keep its edge in the paint while also taking a step forward in the postseason, and Reeds preparation suggests he already understands the stakes. He has also been active on social media revisiting the Pistons-Cavaliers playoff series, a sign that he is already thinking about what needs to change, even if the bigger answer to how he handles the expanded role is still to come. [Read more 🡒]