Why the Pistons Didn’t Blink at the Trade Deadline - and Why It’s Paying Off
DETROIT - Two hours before the Pistons handed the Knicks their most brutal loss of the season, Detroit’s front office made one thing clear: they’re betting on chemistry over chaos.
President of basketball operations Trajan Langdon took the mic for the first time since media day and delivered a message that echoed through the locker room and onto the court that night. The Pistons, sitting atop the Eastern Conference at 38-13, weren’t about to shake up a good thing just to make noise at the trade deadline.
And then they went out and put on a clinic.
Their 118-80 dismantling of New York wasn’t just a win - it was a statement. A night after one of their worst losses of the season, Detroit bounced back with the kind of performance that validated everything Langdon and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had been preaching.
“There’s games we’ve won just because we were more connected than the other team,” Bickerstaff said before tipoff. “We’ve got talent, and we’ve got chemistry. Why mess with that?”
That’s been the philosophy all along. Sure, Detroit could’ve chased a blockbuster move last summer.
They had the flexibility and the assets. But instead, they chose patience.
They chose to let this group grow together. And now, it’s paying off in a big way.
The Pistons made just one move at the deadline - a three-team deal that sent Jaden Ivey to Chicago and brought in Kevin Huerter and Dario Šarić. The trade also gives Detroit a slight boost in draft positioning, depending on how Minnesota finishes its season. But more importantly, it didn’t disrupt the core of what’s working.
And what’s working is undeniable.
Detroit’s bench poured in 66 points. They hit 17 threes on 40 attempts.
They forced 21 points off turnovers. From the opening tip, they controlled the tempo, the energy, and the scoreboard.
Even without All-Star big man Jalen Duren (out with right knee soreness) and with Cade Cunningham having a quiet night by his standards - 11 points on 11 shots in just 22 minutes - the Pistons still looked every bit like the best team in the East.
Yes, the Knicks were missing key players like Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Miles McBride. But that doesn’t take away from what Detroit showed: a team that knows who it is, trusts each other, and plays with a collective purpose.
“We’ve been a top team in the East all year,” Cunningham said postgame. “It’s because of how we defend, how we rebound, how we score in the paint.
That’s our identity. We added Kevin [Huerter], which is a great piece, but we didn’t need to shake everything up.
We’ve got the guys we need right here.”
One of those guys? Daniss Jenkins.
The undrafted rookie point guard led the Pistons with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep. His energy was contagious.
His confidence? Unshakable.
Jenkins has been splitting time between the Pistons and their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, but he’s made it clear he belongs on the main stage.
His performance against the Knicks was his final game on a two-way contract - he’s expected to be converted to a standard deal before Detroit’s next game. And frankly, he’s earned it. Jenkins has played his way into the rotation and, in doing so, made Ivey expendable.
“I’m a humble guy,” Jenkins said at the podium. “But in college, a lot of these dudes that got drafted over me - what was the difference?
Going undrafted? That’s insanity to me.
That burns inside me every day. They’re gonna have to see me.”
That chip on his shoulder has powered Jenkins into becoming a key contributor on a team with championship aspirations. But he’s not doing it alone.
Tobias Harris has quietly been one of Detroit’s most consistent weapons, averaging 14.2 points while shooting nearly 42% from three over his last 10 games. And then there’s Ausar Thompson - the defensive engine of this group.
Thompson has been on a tear lately, averaging 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks over his last five games. Against the Knicks, he drew the assignment on Jalen Brunson and absolutely smothered him. Brunson finished with just 12 points on 4-of-20 shooting, including 0-for-8 from deep - his worst shooting night of the season.
Thompson’s defensive instincts, length, and relentless motor make him a nightmare for opposing guards. And his presence on the perimeter is a big reason why Detroit’s defense has been so stout.
“We know what we have in this locker room,” Thompson said after the win. “We believe in each other.
We ride for each other. That’s how we approach every game.”
That belief, that trust - it’s what Langdon and the front office have leaned into. By giving this group time to gel, to grow, to struggle and respond, the Pistons have become something real. Something dangerous.
This isn’t a team built on flash or hype. It’s built on identity.
Defense. Ball movement.
Shared responsibility. And above all, chemistry.
The Pistons didn’t need a deadline splash. They already had the formula. And Friday night, they showed the rest of the league exactly why they’re not just a feel-good story - they’re a legitimate contender in the East.