The Detroit Pistons came out of nowhere this season to win 60 games and earn the first seed in the Eastern Conference. They were expected to build off of last season’s playoff appearance, but not to this level.
Credit goes to the MVP-level performance of Cade Cunningham and the culture that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has built. However, the Pistons blew a golden opportunity to go to the conference finals, as they blew a 2-0 series lead to the Cavaliers in the second round and lost in seven games.
The series with Cleveland exposed a lot of Detroit’s flaws offensively. Their lack of shot creating and spacing around Cunningham limited them greatly, but President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon has said the priority this summer is to upgrade offensively. There is one perfect trade target though that is likely off the board.
The Pistons are unlikely to acquire dream target Lauri Markkanen
Markkanen has been in and out of trade rumors over the last couple of seasons, with Detroit usually being pegged as a potential landing spot. However, it looks like Utah will be keeping Markkanen in the fold for the foreseeable future.
For starters, the Jazz look ready to compete next season. They shockingly acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. in a trade deadline blockbuster. Keyonte George took a huge step forward. Markkanen was steady. Walker Kessler is likely to be back in the fold. Young players like Ace Bailey, Brice Sensabaugh, and Kyle Filipowski look ready to contribute. They also have the second pick in the draft, likely selecting one of AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson.
This Utah team has the chance to be a sleeper playoff team in the West and their recent moves have signaled that they also believe that. With that said, Markkanen to Detroit looks like a pipe dream.
Despite that, the Pistons should be looking at wing players like Markkanen to surround Cunningham with. Players that can space the floor, create their own shot, and have enough movement and gravity to keep the defense in rotation.
Guys like Trey Murphy, Zach LaVine, and impending free-agent forward Rui Hachimura could be potential targets. Maybe a blockbuster move for Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard or Mavs guard Kyrie Irving could be in the cards for the Pistons as well. Either way, they desperately need more offense around Cunningham if they want to be serious contenders next season.
Detroit is ahead of schedule, so they do not need to do anything rash. After all, they were a game away from the conference finals. However, they cannot rest on their laurels. They should use the exit as motivation to improve the roster and sustain long-term success.
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