A Trade Idea To Swing 2026 NBA Championship Race

Teams in the NBA's Western Conference will undergo nightly clashes, with some heavyweight contenders battling it out just for a chance at the play-in tournament.

In the East, though, some lucky shooting nights and solid defense may get you home-court advantage in the first round, even with an average roster.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks should be the only teams considered true contenders to make the Finals, although a number of franchises just below them may only be one move away from joining them.

The Detroit Pistons are one of these teams.

After going 44-38 and making the playoffs last season, the Pistons should be aggressively pursuing another star to pair with Cade Cunningham. Getting one while keeping players like Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren would be ideal as well.

There is one team in the West with a former All-Star forward in his prime who would be an ideal fit in Detroit and make the Pistons a legit threat to come out of the East.

Lauri Markkanen is the perfect trade candidate for Detroit.

Full Trade Scenario

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Detroit Pistons Receive: 

• F Lauri Markkanen

Utah Jazz Receive: 

• F Ron Holland

• PF Tobias Harris

• G Marcus Sasser

• 2026 first-round pick (unprotected)

• 2028 first-round pick (unprotected)

Markkanen joins the Pistons as an upgrade at power forward over Harris, who serves as a salary-filler here who can be shopped by Utah to a contender at a later date.

The Jazz also get a pair of prospects and unprotected first-round picks from the Pistons, who now have full control of all future first-round selections after conveying their 2025 first rounder to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Why the Detroit Pistons Do It

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The Detroit Pistons had a real offensive creation problem in the playoffs against the New York Knicks, with Cade Cunningham carrying far too heavy of a workload.

Getting Jaden Ivey back from a broken leg and signing Caris LeVert will help, although adding a 7-footer who can shoot, cut and attack will help electrify what's been a stagnant offense in the past.

Markkanen, 28, is in the prime of his career and joins a potential Pistons starting five that consists of Cunningham, Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren with LeVert, Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Stewart, Paul Reed and others off the bench.

In the East, this is a group that can now challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks for a spot in the Finals.

Markkanen is just what Detroit needs as a floor-spacer between Thompson and Duren and a safety valve for players like Cunningham and Ivey to deliver the ball to. 

Over three years with the Jazz in an expanded offensive role, the Finn averaged 23.0 points and 7.7 rebounds with shooting splits of 47.3/38.0/88.3 percent in his 168 games. An All-Star and the league's Most Improved Player in 2022-23, he is a matchup nightmare with his athletic 7-foot, 240-pound frame. 

His numbers took a dip last season playing for a Jazz team with no proven point guard and no desire to win on most nights, although a return to competitive basketball and joining an All-Star floor general in Cunningham would almost certainly give him a boost. He shot better than 40 percent on catch-and-shoot threes his first two seasons in Utah.

Of the 16 playoffs teams this past season, Detroit ranked 15th in made threes and 14th in accuracy. Markkanen would do wonders in the Pistons' outside attack while serving as a big cutting target for the young guards on this roster to find.

The Pistons are still a piece away from being a true contender in the East. Markkanen would get them there.

Why the Utah Jazz Do It

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The Utah Jazz may be the only Western Conference team who won't be trying to win this season.

The young roster isn't ready, and there's real motivation to be bad. Utah's 2026 first-round pick is owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it stays with the Jazz if it lands in the top eight picks. If not conveyed next year, the Jazz will no longer owe a pick to OKC.

Trading Markkanen, the team's best player, is essentially guaranteeing Utah its 2026 pick in a draft that will feature BYU star freshman A.J. Dybantsa. The Jazz also get two unprotected first rounders from the Detroit Pistons starting next summer.

Holland was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 draft and has apparently put on 15 pounds of muscle this offseason. His playing time was limited as a rookie, but he balled out at Summer League, averaging 21.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals while shooting 46.7 percent from three. He could join Ace Bailey as the forwards of the future in Utah.

Tobias Harris is on an expiring $26.6 million deal which is going to open up a ton of cap room for the Jazz next summer, especially considering Markkanen's four-year, $195 million contract is now off the books. Harris is a good veteran who could help in the locker room for a few months before Utah shops him to a contender or agrees to a buyout after the trade deadline.

Sasser, 24, gives the Jazz another young guard with upside and minutes should be available after the team traded Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets and agreed to a buyout with Jordan Clarkson.

Getting a potential franchise pillar, multiple unprotected first-round picks and future financial relief while nearly guaranteeing a top pick in the 2026 draft should be enough for Utah to agree to a Markkanen trade with the Pistons.