The Detroit Pistons have the kind of regular-season success that gets people talking, but the playoffs exposed the gap they still need to close. Cade Cunningham is the engine, no question. The issue is what happens when opponents force the ball out of his hands and make Detroit’s offense live with the rest of the roster.
That’s where Kyrie Irving enters the conversation.
Detroit’s supporting cast of Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson left Cunningham carrying a massive offensive load, and once Orlando and Cleveland started sending double-teams at him on the perimeter, the Pistons’ attack bogged down. The cleanest fix would be adding another scorer who can absorb pressure and create when the defense tilts. New Orleans’ Trey Murphy III and Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. were mentioned as possibilities, but Irving stands out as the most natural fit.
The 34-year-old is set to return this season after missing all of 2025-26 with an ACL injury, and the idea here is simple: Detroit gets a proven star, and Dallas gets future value. With the Mavericks building around reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, president Masai Ujiri would need to prioritize replenishing the draft capital lost during the Luka Doncic era. The Pistons, meanwhile, still control all of their own first-round picks.
That’s why a move around the February trade deadline was described as a real possibility.
Irving’s track record makes the fit easy to see. Across 15 seasons, his best teams have been the ones where he’s the second star rather than the lone answer.
He won a title in Cleveland next to LeBron James and reached the NBA Finals in Dallas alongside Luka Doncic. Cunningham’s game, at 6-foot-6, draws a direct line to Doncic’s style as a scorer and playmaker, which is what makes the pairing so intriguing.
If Detroit had Irving beside Cunningham, the backcourt would suddenly be much harder to contain. J.B.
Bickerstaff would have more ways to shape the offense, and Irving would give the Pistons a release valve when Cunningham gets overloaded. That kind of help would be especially valuable for a team that has leaned so heavily on Cunningham throughout his career.
The clutch factor is part of the appeal, too. Detroit dropped key playoff games last year, including Games 3 and 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Cunningham’s turnover issues were tied to the pressure he was under. Irving has long been known as one of the clutchest players in NBA history, with a reputation for delivering in the biggest moments.
The larger picture matters as well. With other Eastern Conference teams making major moves, the Pistons need a swing of their own to keep pace with Philadelphia, Miami, Toronto and the reigning champion New York Knicks.
Because Irving is still tied to a $39 million salary, any deal would likely need a third team with cap room to take on extra pieces. Two frameworks were laid out: one sending Ron Holland II, Jerami Grant, a 2027 Pistons first and a 2029 Pistons first to Dallas, with Memphis taking Duncan Robinson, Caleb Martin, Paul Reed, Tolu Smith and a 2027 Pistons second; another sending Ron Holland II, Terance Mann, a 2027 Pistons first and a 2029 Pistons first to Dallas, with Brooklyn taking Duncan Robinson, Paul Reed, Tolu Smith and a 2027 Pistons second.
The case for Detroit is straightforward: Irving would raise the ceiling. With his playoff experience and shot-making, the Pistons would have a much better chance of pushing toward the Eastern Conference Finals, or even the NBA Finals.
In Other News...
Former Pistons Pick Just Revived A Frustrating Troy Weaver Debate
Saddiq Beys latest contract now gives the old Troy Weaver debate a fresh jolt. After a career-best season, Bey landed a three-year extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, a reminder of how quickly a former Pistons draft pick can become part of a bigger conversation about value, patience and whether the right pieces were ever in place in Detroit.
For Pistons fans, the wrinkle is hard to miss because Weaver is in New Orleans now, still operating in the same circles that shaped Beys NBA journey. Bey has shown enough to earn real money, but he still hasnt fully answered the postseason question, which leaves his development tied to the same uncomfortable argument that followed him out of Detroit: was he undervalued, or just not the kind of player a rebuilding team could fully maximize? [Read more 🡒]
Nets Face A Big Michael Porter Jr. Question In Trade Talk
Detroits biggest contract storyline right now is Jalen Duren, and the lack of a deal still leaves plenty of room for outside speculation. The Pistons are negotiating with their restricted free agent center, whose growth has made him one of the key pieces of their next step, and the uncertainty around his new contract has naturally opened the door to all kinds of roster chatter.
One hypothetical construction has Brooklyn trying to solve its own frontcourt question by prying Duren loose in a sign-and-trade, while Detroit would be weighing whether the return is worth moving on. The idea is built around the kind of deal that can reshape both teams timelines, but until something concrete emerges, it remains just that, a framework for how much leverage and intrigue still surround Durens next contract. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Face A Jalen Duren Decision Bigger Than The Price Tag
Jalen Durens next deal is shaping up as one of the Pistons most important financial decisions, and not just because the price tag could land near $190 million. Detroit is operating with Cade Cunninghams expected supermax looming in the background, which means every major commitment has to fit a long-term payroll picture as much as a basketball one. Duren has already established himself as a core piece, so the question is not whether the Pistons value him, but how they structure a deal that protects their flexibility while keeping a young frontcourt cornerstone in place.
The appeal of a multi-year pact is obvious, yet the real challenge is making sure it does not become a burden later if Detroit needs to reshape the roster around Cunningham. There is a clear case for thinking beyond the headline number and treating the contract as a tool, not just a reward, because the way money is distributed over time can affect both future cap management and trade value. For a team trying to build sustainably, the fine print on Durens extension may matter almost as much as the player himself. [Read more 🡒]