The Pistons made one of the draft’s bolder swings when they added another creator with Ebuka Okorie, and that choice opened the door for the Lakers to land a player who could fit almost perfectly next to Luka Doncic.
That player is Cameron Carr, the prospect many viewed as the draft’s top 3-and-D option. Carr slid farther than expected and was still there at No. 24, where the Lakers scooped him up. For a team with star power already in place, that kind of role-player profile can matter just as much as a headline name.
Detroit passed on Carr in favor of a prospect with more upside as a creator, even if he didn’t bring the same shooting and defense. The Pistons then leaned into fixing their shooting issues another way, turning to a trade for Isaiah Joe that could wind up making an even faster impact than Carr would have. Still, if Okorie doesn’t develop the way they hope, that decision could sting.
Carr wasn’t just available because of Detroit. Other teams passed on him between picks 17 and 24 too. But the Pistons may have been the club that stood to gain the most from taking him, especially because his game lines up so neatly with what they’ve been chasing.
There’s a reason people kept connecting Carr to Trey Murphy III. The resemblance is there in the athletic pop, the way he can punish a closeout, and the easy lift he shows when he’s finishing an alley-oop on a backdoor cut. That’s the kind of utility that translates fast.
And this may not be the last time the Lakers and Pistons cross paths over the same names. Both franchises are built around oversized offensive engines - Doncic in Los Angeles and Cade Cunningham in Detroit - and that shared blueprint means they’ll keep circling many of the same draft prospects, trade targets and free agents.
That overlap already showed up with interest in restricted free agents: the Pistons had eyes on Austin Reaves, while the Lakers were linked to Jalen Duren. So far, though, nothing major has broken between the two teams.
For now, Carr is the newest piece in Los Angeles, and if he becomes the player some projected, he could end up being the kind of addition that helps the Lakers push toward a championship sooner rather than later. Detroit, in its own way, helped make that happen.
In Other News...
Pistons May Have Found The Center Answer Fans Have Been Begging For
Detroits search for more frontcourt help has only grown sharper after Isaiah Stewarts departure, and the need goes beyond just plugging one roster hole. Cade Cunningham still needs more offensive support around him, but the Pistons also have to make sure the center rotation is sturdy enough behind Jalen Duren, especially with Paul Reed as the other name in the mix. That is why Mitchell Robinson has surfaced as a plausible fit for a team trying to get bigger, tougher and more reliable in the paint.
Robinson brings the kind of value Detroit has lacked at times, particularly on the glass and around the rim. His offensive rebounding and interior defense would give the Pistons a different look off the bench, and his size could make him a useful complement rather than just another body. The question now is whether Detroit can turn that interest into a real addition, because the market around a center with Robinsons profile is never likely to be simple. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons May Have To Pay More Than Expected For Coveted Wing
The Pistons have spent part of the offseason looking for a wing who can fit cleanly into the rotation and help stretch the floor, and New Orleans has emerged as one of the more intriguing trade partners in that search. Around the league, Trey Murphy III has become a name to monitor because of his fit, but the price attached to him has already turned the conversation into one about just how aggressive Detroit is willing to be.
What makes the pursuit tricky is that the Pelicans are believed to be standing firm while other interested teams have come in lower, which leaves the market in an awkward place. Detroit may need to get creative if it wants to stay in the mix, whether by reshaping its offer or waiting to see if New Orleans softens its stance, and for now the standoff leaves both sides watching to see who blinks first. [Read more 🡒]
Andrew Wiggins Update Just Changed Detroit's Norman Powell Chase
Andrew Wiggins decision in Miami has nudged the free-agent board in a way Detroit will notice. By picking up his player option, Wiggins altered the Heats cap picture and made it harder for them to keep moving pieces around this summer, which matters because Norman Powell had been one of the names on the market that could have fit their plans. For the Pistons, that kind of shift can matter a lot, especially with a roster still looking for more punch behind Cade Cunningham.
Powell has long made sense as the sort of scoring guard Detroit could use, a player who can lighten the burden on Cunningham and bring a more proven offensive presence to the rotation. If Miamis flexibility is now tighter than before, the Pistons could find themselves with a cleaner path to chase him once free agency opens, and that is the sort of opening front offices watch closely this time of year. [Read more 🡒]