The Detroit Pistons have opened the season in solid shape, but the path ahead looks tougher than it did a year ago. After last season’s success, Detroit is trying to push even deeper into the playoffs, and the Eastern Conference is not making that easy.
That’s why the Pistons spent the summer checking on bigger names. According to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, Detroit looked into trades for Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, and was ready to make a strong run at Austin Reaves if the Los Angeles Lakers had made him available. None of those chances turned into a deal.
“The Pistons inquired about trading for Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant this offseason, according to league sources, and were positioned to offer Austin Reaves a big free agent contract if the Los Angeles Lakers opened the door. None of that materialized," ESPN's Vincent Goodwill wrote.
Detroit’s search for a major swing did not stop there. The team has also been connected to Kyrie Irving, the veteran NBA champion whose resume could one day land him in the Hall of Fame. Goodwill said the Pistons could still decide to chase him.
“And if Detroit has the stomach to go after it this year, they could go after someone like Kyrie Irving in Dallas," Goodwill wrote."Several staffers are fond of Irving's game, shot creation and malleability next to ball-dominant stars like James and Luka Doncic."
Sports Illustrated’s John Hobbs also sees Irving as a fit in Detroit, especially if the Mavericks are open to reshaping their roster. He wrote that the Pistons have shown interest in pairing Irving with Cade Cunningham, and that such a move would give Detroit a needed second ball-handler while adding shooting, spacing and a proven closer.
“It’s no shock that Kyrie Irving features. He would likely appear on many teams’ trade-dream lists, especially as Irving’s Dallas Mavericks look to change their squad.
Detroit has emerged as a team eager to pair Irving with Cunningham. Boasting Irving's services would immediately address the Pistons’ lack of a secondary ball-handler while adding elite off-ball shooting, floor spacing, and a championship-proven closer for high-pressure moments,” Hobbs wrote.
For Detroit, the appeal is obvious. Irving would lighten Cunningham’s load, give the offense another creator, and bring a player who can take over when the game tightens late.
In Other News...
Daniss Jenkins Is Giving The Pistons A Tough New Decision
Daniss Jenkins has turned a strong start into one of the more interesting roster questions facing Detroit. The guard has given the Pistons steady production, averaging 12.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds while knocking down 43 percent of his 3-point attempts, and that kind of early impact tends to get noticed quickly in a league that is always looking for useful backcourt pieces.
The tricky part is what comes next. Jenkins is headed toward restricted free agency at seasons end, which gives Detroit control, but not necessarily an easy path to keeping him if the market gets involved or the cap picture tightens. The Pistons also have to weigh the progress of rookie Ebuka Okorie and the contract situation of Paul Reed, which means Jenkins rise may be forcing the front office to think several moves ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Already Have One Early Reason To Feel Better About Collins
The Pistons decision to swap Tobias Harris out and John Collins in at power forward already looks easier to understand in early-season context. Harris, now 34, still has not played this season because of a calf strain, and it has only sharpened the questions that were already hanging over his durability as Detroit weighed its options in free agency.
Collins was never just about talent for the Pistons, either. The appeal was always tied to his availability and the flexibility of his contract, even with the age concern that comes with adding another veteran. For a team trying to stabilize that spot, simply having a player on the floor has been a useful early reminder of why Detroit made the move. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Decision Fans Can't Ignore
Detroits strong 7-3 start has changed the conversation around the franchise in a hurry. With a healthy stash of draft capital and expiring contracts in hand, the Pistons are in position to be more than patient observers ahead of the Feb. 11 trade deadline. They have put themselves in the mix in the Eastern Conference, and the front office now has to weigh whether to keep building organically or use those assets to accelerate the timeline.
The need is fairly clear: secondary scoring and frontcourt depth would both help a team trying to keep pace with Boston and Philadelphia. Names such as John Collins, Duncan Robinson and Naz Reid have already surfaced as possible fits, which tells you the market is starting to take shape around Detroits needs. The bigger question is how aggressive the Pistons want to be, because the right move could help them chase the top of the standings, while the wrong one could cost them the flexibility that got them here. [Read more 🡒]