The Detroit Pistons’ next move could come down to adding another creator who can ease the pressure on Cade Cunningham, and Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz has put RJ Barrett in that spotlight.
Detroit’s offseason has already centered on locking in its young core. Ausar Thompson landed a new 5yr/$155M contract extension, a move NBA insider Brett Siegel framed this way: “In other Pistons news, Ausar Thompson officially put pen to paper on his new 5yr/$155M contract extension. The Pistons now have Cunningham and Thompson officially on the books long-term, with Thompson's deal coming in around 15% of the cap," NBA insider Brett Siegel posted.
The other major development has been the unresolved tension around Jalen Duren, which eventually ended with a massive agreement. Shams Charania reported, “All-NBA and All-Star center Jalen Duren has agreed to sign a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed contract to return to the Detroit Pistons, agent Chafie Fields of THE•TEAM tells ESPN. This ends a prolonged restricted free agency dispute between the two sides," ESPN's Shams Charania posted.
With those pieces in place, Swartz floated a trade idea that would send Barrett from the Toronto Raptors to Detroit in exchange for Ron Holland II and draft capital.
“The ideal trade target would be a wing who can create for themselves and others, helping to keep the offense humming when Cunningham needs a break or hits an inevitable shooting slump. This list could include players like RJ Barrett.
Detroit has all of its first-round picks moving forward, making a potential blockbuster more likely. Former No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland II could be used as trade bait, as the runway hasn't been opened for him in Detroit to reach his potential,” Swartz said.
For Detroit, the appeal is simple: another scorer next to Cunningham. A player like Barrett would give the Pistons more off-the-dribble juice and another option defenses would have to account for. Paired with the team’s other young talent, it’s the kind of move that could make Detroit even tougher to deal with.
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The bigger takeaway may be what this kind of performance could mean for the rest of the roster. Torontos coaching staff seems open to exploring how Poeltl fits alongside Collin Murray-Boyles this season, rather than treating the two as a strict either-or choice, and that makes Poeltls return to form more than just a preseason footnote. If he can sustain this level, it could give the Raptors a more functional and flexible look inside. [Read more 🡒]
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RJ Barretts Early Raptors Role Could Create A Real Offensive Problem
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined for Torontos first two preseason games, RJ Barrett has been asked to do a lot more of the organizing and creation than he likely will once the games count. The expanded on-ball responsibilities mirror the version of Barrett the Raptors leaned on in the playoffs, where he was more than just a finisher and had to help drive the offense. It has given Toronto a useful look at how Barrett handles added control, but it also highlights how different this group can look when the roster is whole.
Barretts current role is built around a heavy share of the action, and that can be a tricky thing to unwind when Leonard returns and reclaims the top offensive spot. If Barrett has gotten used to initiating so much of what Toronto does, the adjustment back to a more complementary role could take some time and affect early-season rhythm. The Raptors need Barrett to stay productive, but they also need the offense to settle into a pecking order that works once the lineup is at full strength. [Read more 🡒]