If you're looking for fireworks at the trade deadline in Detroit, you might want to temper expectations. The Pistons aren't signaling a blockbuster move is coming.
Maybe Jaden Ivey gets moved. Maybe they add a shooter to help stretch the floor.
But anything bigger than that? Don’t hold your breath-unless, of course, something unexpected happens.
And that’s where things get interesting.
Detroit might be ahead of schedule in its rebuild, but that doesn't mean the front office should stand pat. The Pistons have Cade Cunningham, a rising star who’s shown he can be the engine of a competitive team.
But history tells us even the best young guards need a running mate-someone who can share the offensive load and elevate the team when the game slows down in the playoffs. And right now, that player isn’t on the roster.
Enter Jaren Jackson Jr.
The Memphis big man-and former Michigan State standout-checks a lot of boxes for Detroit. He’s a versatile defender, a legitimate scoring threat, and a player who could slide into this Pistons core without forcing a major identity shift. And if he does hit the trade market, Detroit should be ready to pounce.
Let’s start with the fit. Defensively, the Pistons are already elite-second in the league, per NBA.com.
That’s not a typo. This team gets after it on that end.
Adding Jackson, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, to a frontcourt rotation that already includes Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart? That’s the kind of move that could make Detroit downright suffocating.
Throw in Ausar Thompson’s perimeter chops, and you’ve got a defense that could smother just about anyone.
But Jackson isn’t just a shot-blocker. He’s mobile enough to switch onto wings, smart enough to rotate as a weakside helper, and long enough to erase mistakes at the rim.
He’s played both center and power forward throughout his career, and this season, he’s spent more time at the 4-exactly where he’d slot in with the Pistons. That kind of versatility is gold in today’s NBA.
Offensively, Jackson might be even more intriguing. Think of him as a souped-up version of Tobias Harris-only with more range, more bounce, and more upside.
Harris may have the better career three-point percentage, but Jackson’s been the more accurate shooter this season and takes more threes overall. He’s also more dynamic around the rim and can create his own shot in ways Harris simply can’t.
That kind of two-way impact is rare. And it’s exactly what Detroit needs.
The beauty of a move like this is that it wouldn’t require the Pistons to reinvent themselves. They wouldn’t have to overhaul the playbook or change their defensive principles.
Jackson fits the mold of what they’re building: long, athletic, switchable, and hungry. He’d just make them a better version of the team they already are.
Of course, there’s the matter of what it would take to get him.
That’s where things get complicated. Memphis has to see enough value coming back to part with a player of Jackson’s caliber.
Maybe Jaden Ivey, with his upside and connection to former Purdue teammate Zach Edey, is part of the appeal. Maybe the nearly $37 million in expiring contracts between Ivey and Harris gives Memphis some financial flexibility.
Or maybe it’s about the draft picks-because if Detroit really is turning the corner, those picks could be among the last chances to cash in on lottery-level talent.
One way or another, the Grizzlies would need to be convinced. But if there’s even a crack in the door-if Jackson expresses interest in a move or Memphis starts eyeing a retool-Detroit should be ready.
Because this isn’t just about adding talent. It’s about finding the right piece at the right time.
Jackson is young, battle-tested, and fits perfectly alongside Cunningham both on the court and on the timeline. If the Pistons want to make the leap from promising to dangerous, this is the kind of move that could make it happen.
He might not be the only name on Detroit’s radar. But he should be at the top of the list.