Ranking Pistons' Top Trade Targets After 2025 NBA Playoff Loss
The Detroit Pistons turned the 2024-25 NBA season into their personal launching pad.
Their became playoff participants for the first time since 2019, and on a very related note, Cade Cunningham served as their first All-Star representative since Blake Griffin got the nod on their last playoff team.
The rebuild is clearly moving forward, but what happens now? Should Detroit attempt a rapid acceleration through the next steps of building a full-fledged contender? Or should the Pistons worry about trying too much too quickly and instead focus on finding subtle and smart upgrades?
We'll tackle that topic while identifying and ranking their top three offseason trade targets.
3. CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
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Pistons fans won't be thrilled to see McCollum here, and there are reasons to be skeptical. The 33-year-old isn't a timeline fit, and the $30.7 million he'll collect next season already looks like an eyesore based on his current level of play.
However, since that contract will surely be factored into his trade cost—the Pelicans could conceivably incentivize the Pistons to get it off their payroll—Detroit would get a deeply discounted deal on an established pro who offers a lot of what this team needs.
The Pistons are woefully short on scoring and creation around Cunningham. McCollum just averaged at least 20 points and four assists for the sixth consecutive season, a feat only matched by 13 other players across the Association. Detroit could always stand to add more spacers, too, and McCollum happens to be a 39.7 percent sharpshooter from range for his career.
Add his 67 playoff games into the equation, and he could be the kind of experienced leader who shows the Pistons what they need to do to keep climbing the ladder. That could be a wildly valuable bit of intel considering the cost of getting him to the Motor City.
2. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets
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If the Pistons keep Jaden Ivey around, their backcourt should be in solid shape going forward. Their two-headed monster at center with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart is rock-solid. And depending on the developmental paths of Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II, this group could be set on the wings.
The power forward position lacks an obvious long-term answer, but Smith could be a great solution.
The No. 3 pick of the 2022 draft has perhaps not quite played up to his draft slot, but there is plenty to like about what he's doing now and what he might do in the future. Even if he somehow plateaus here—unlikely for someone who hasn't turned 22 yet—he's already a helpful contributor as a stretch big, rebounder and versatile defender.
His offensive game still has plenty of room to grow, and he has enough length and instincts to become a more intimidating shot-blocker. He has, in other words, a solid base with multiple avenues for expansion. The Pistons could be wise to make a move for Smith—probably in a multi-team deal that sends an established star to Houston and long-term assets elsewhere—and allow him to grow alongside their core.
1. Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
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If the Pistons go searching for a 4 this summer, they'll want shooting, versatility, length and, in a perfect world, at least some scoring and creation from that position.
Johnson just so happens to check every box, which is why the Nets have held onto a high asking price for him. If the Pistons think he could help fuel their ascension, though, it might be worth an aggressive bid to get him.
It's tough to tell how much of his scoring increase this season is sustainable long-term given the lack of help he had on the Nets. Having said that, he did manage to make a heavy volume increase (18.8 points per game, previous high was 15.5) without sacrificing efficiency. In fact, his 47.5 field-goal percentage was a new personal-best, so maybe he just has enough skills to be a solid-or-better second or third scoring option elsewhere.
Even if that's not the case, though, the Pistons know they'd be getting a high-end three-and-D swingman at the very least. And remember, before he was posting loud numbers in Brooklyn, he was making valuable contributions on some really good Phoenix Suns teams. He would, without question, make Cunningham's life easier, and shouldn't that be the ultimate goal of anyone Detroit adds?
