The Pistons have been circling Trey Murphy III for years, but the latest move involving Jaylen Brown may have complicated everything. What Detroit hoped would open a path to Murphy could instead hand the Celtics a cleaner route to him.
Boston suddenly has a glaring need for another wing scorer, and Murphy checks a lot of boxes for the way the Celtics want to play. He lives in the kind of shooting environment Boston has built around for years, which makes him an obvious fit if the team decides to get aggressive in the trade market.
That’s the part Detroit has to sweat now. The Pistons and Pelicans have been in a back-and-forth over Murphy for a long time, with Detroit repeatedly balking at New Orleans’ asking price.
But with the Eastern Conference shifting and stars moving around, the pressure to make a major move is rising. Even if the deal looks rough in the moment, there’s a growing sense that a contender may have to pay up.
Detroit already watched one of its own land in a perfect spot when Tobias Harris left in free agency for the San Antonio Spurs. Seeing another contender snag a player who fits so cleanly would sting even more, especially with the Pistons having chased Murphy for so long.
That’s the reality for teams trying to build something real: sometimes the move that looks expensive or ugly on paper is the one that eventually gets remembered for the banner. The Knicks took plenty of heat for sending out five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, and now they have no regrets. After a 60-win season and a near trip to the conference finals, the Pistons may be in that same kind of moment.
Boston is still the other problem here. The Celtics finished second in the East behind Detroit last season with Brown carrying the load while Jayson Tatum missed most of the year with injury. Tatum is expected back at full strength next season, and Boston has already made other upgrades around the roster.
Murphy would slide into that setup seamlessly. He shot 38% on 8.6 three-point attempts per game last season, and that kind of volume fits right into the Celtics’ system. If Boston gets him, Joe Mazzulla would have another weapon to keep that offense humming.
So the Pistons are facing two tasks at once: improve their own roster and keep a rival from beating them to a player they’ve wanted for years. Other East contenders have already made their moves, while Detroit has mostly stood still. At this point, the Pistons can’t afford to end the offseason without a major addition.
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Detroit has been keeping an eye on names like Trey Murphy III, and this kind of deal can reset the conversation around what a fair price looks like. If the market for premium two-way talent starts to soften, the Pistons may find more room to maneuver, and they still have enough draft capital on hand to make a serious push if the right player becomes available. [Read more 🡒]