Pistons Are a MOVE Away?… Here’s Who Could Be Next 👀

Pistons Are a MOVE Away?… Here’s Who Could Be Next 👀

Welcome back to the Pistons Jack YouTube channel. On today’s episode, we’ll be reacting to ESPN’s Bobby Mark saying, “The Pistons are still one big move away from true contention.” I’ll offer my thoughts and opinions. We’ll take a look at three players the Pistons could realistically trade for in the next 12 months. So, let’s get to it. Okay, so recently in the past week or so, uh Bobby Marks, ESPN’s cap expert, former front office member for the Brooklyn Nets, was on Kevin Oconor’s weekly podcast over at Yahoo. And they were talking about teams that are a move or two away. And Bobby offered up this. He said, “I do think they’re one move away. They got all their picks now to go out and canvas the market.” What I wanted to focus on today is what is this big move? Are the Pistons actually one move away? And it for the sake of, you know, a lot of the national media and a lot of the Pistons fan base saying they are, um, I’ve I found three realistic trade candidates that I think the Pistons could trade for in the next 12 months, as well as some honorable mentions. But I just want to off the top I briefly just what like what are some teams that have made this one move that has pushed them from like fun playoff team to true contender? And the ones I could come up with just to give you some examples. Uh recently we had um the most recent one of course is the magic trading for Desmond Bane. Now we do need to see if that actually leads them to true contention but that’s an all-in type move and that is kind of the type of move that I think a lot of the fan base for Detroit wants to see the Pistons make. Now Desmond Bane is an all-star but he fills a massive void in that Magic roster. There’s OKC who they their move or two they made um was trading for Caruso and Isaiah and signing Isaiah Hartenstein last offseason. They obviously won the championship. Another one I thought of was the Nuggets trading for Aaron Gordon all the way back in I think 2021 I want to say who filled a void for them. Those were trades that took those teams from like that second round like ceiling to you know these are gonna these are moves that have definitely pushed Denver to a championship just push OKC to a championship and the Magic you know they’ve got their intention is to get to the finals and the Eastern Conference finals. So that’s like kind of some examples. Now for me what’s the team’s biggest need? What is Detroit’s biggest need that this one move kind of needs to fill? And if you look at the playoffs, in my opinion, they need a secondary or primary scorer alongside Kade. Far too often the Pistons rely on Kade to create everything. And he’s definitely a guy that um can play like that. And he I like he wants to be that guy. But um they need someone else who can come out and consistently on any given night score 20 to 25. Like and it can’t just be against, you know, the the bottom half of the league. Like they need a guy that can come out against the Knicks, can come out against, you know, like one of the powerhouse Western Conference teams, and if Kade doesn’t have it, if they’re doubling him, they need a guy that can score 20 to 25 on a consistent basis against the best teams and as well as anyone in the NBA. Now, in my opinion, they don’t need Right now, I’m happy they didn’t rush to go get that guy because I want to see if Jadden Ivy can be that guy. I think his ceiling shows he can be. um he’s yet to do it consistently and I would like to see him and honestly Cade have their best games against like some of the league’s best teams. Now I think Kade does that certainly in the East, but sometimes in the West I think he’s struggling against OKC like a lot of players do, but um Kad’s Kate, we know he’s definitely a number one guy. Um but Ivy, I want to see him, you know, have a chance to fill that role because just because like I think they need a secondary or primary scorer, right? So, um, that doesn’t mean they have to be your second best player. Your second best player, the piston second best player might be Assar Thompson in terms of what he brings on both ends, but I think Ivy definitely has the most potential to be that secondary scorer. But let’s just say, you know, maybe Ivy doesn’t reach that. I think and I really want to see him have a chance to reach that this season. But these are the players in my opinion that realistically could be available in the next 12 months to 18 months max for the Pistons to trade for. Now these are going to cost like these is this is where having all your picks is great and because it’s certainly going to take some picks and probably at least one of the five to six young core the Pistons have. So whether that’s Ron, Ivy, Jaylen Duran, uh, and Assar, maybe I think to get some one of these guys, definitely to get two of these guys, you’re going to have to include one or two of those players. But Larry Markin is the first name. And this is a guy who I know is I think in terms of the next all-star to be traded that we can kind of forecast, I think it’s Larry Markin. The Jazz just drafted Ace Bailey, who I’m not saying is an exact like for like, but I think Ace Bailey longterm is a three or four. He’s a forward. The Jazz clearly are re like they were obviously rebuilding and I know they have said in the offseason they’re not looking to tank anymore, but they’re still going to be bad next year. Larry Markin is 28 years old. So, when you look at their timeline, he just doesn’t really fit it. And that that’s with a lot of these guys. The way I canvas this for realistic possibility is looking at teams whose their age profile, looking at their best players, do they match with their timeline? Do they match with the direction of the team? And um Larry just jumps out like as the number one guy who I think is up for trade. I think to get him it’s going to take you picks. I think that’s what Danny Ang is going to want. And he’s definitely gonna want you know one of Assar, Ron or Ivy. In my opinion, I think Jaylen Duran might not be as enticing because of the um they have Walker Kesler and I think him and JD, whilst they have different skill sets, I think they’re I think JD’s better, but I could see why the Jazz would be like, “No, let them keep the center. We want a wing to go alongside Ace.” So, that’s the first name. And I know a lot of Pistons fans have spoken about him. Larry Markin still has three years 150 million. So, you’re going to have to get that to that salary of around 50 million. Obviously, the Pistons for this season would have to include Tobias. Um, and I think getting a scorer like Larry in the front court, he can stretch the floor, do some stuff off the bounce, rebound, can be adequately defensively, I think when locked in, he would fill a huge need and fill the the four position we’ve spoken about so much for the future. That’s the first name. Uh, the second name is another very popular one amongst the Pistons community, but it’s Deon Booker. And I promise I’m just not trying to just pick the two most popular names we see, but Deon Booker, you know, there’s the Michigan Ties. Um, obviously I believe he’s from Grand Rapids. Should have been a Piston all those years ago, but wasn’t. But, um, he just resigned a huge extension. So, he still has three years, 180 million. I think it’s 55 million for the upcoming season, but 180 million owing across the next three years. He’s 28 years old. Now, you might be like, well, Jackie just signed extension. Why Why would he be available? And I just think with the Suns future, unless someone they drafted or like in Malawatch absolutely pops and is this outlier star at pick 10 or Jaylen Green just goes absolutely nuclear and lives up to his number two overall pick and him and Deon Booker have this great synergy. I just don’t see them being a threat in the in the West for a while and it seems like they’re only a to get they don’t have a first round pick until like 2032 I believe. They don’t even have really any seconds or something like that. They are dry and poor when it comes to picks. So, I could see Booker wanting to come home. Maybe it’d be a really cool story, but he he fits really long. Like, he is everything the Pistons would need when we talk about secondary and primary scoring. Known commodity, two-time all NBA player, multi-time all-star, being the NBA Finals, score 40 points in NBA Finals. Like, him and Kade alongside each other would be incredible. And I’m pretty sure they’re working out together this summer. So, I know there’s some relationship there um between the two. So, like he would be an awesome guy and I know like but to get him you’re definitely throwing in like probably Ivy, you’re probably throwing in Ron and and a lot a boatload of picks plus you need that probably Tobias contract if it was to happen during the season. I think the Booker one will probably be more of an offseason thing. I think um I don’t think he’d be he loves this. It seems like he loves Phoenix right now, but you know, he could just be saying all the right things and that kind of stuff to get this that huge extension he just signed and maybe he’s going to get 3 months in and be like, “Oh, wow. I’m not going anywhere.” Um and I assume there’d be teams lining up for him. But that’s my thoughts. Booker definitely with the way the Suns are trending, he’s there out to get a lot of picks back to restock the cupboards there, get a couple of young guys in. You still have Jaylen Green, you still have Malawatch, you got Mark Williams, like you get back a couple of young potential stars from the Pistons in Ivy and Holland who could still be very well be allstars in this league. Um, I’m not saying I’d be thrilled with this, but if we’re talking about moves to take the Pistons that would solidify the Pistons going to the next level, um, and you get that known commodity star back, like Dem book is the name you have to mention. Now, I was going to say Zion Williams in here, but I crossed it out and I I thought, let’s mix it up a bit. This guy isn’t an all-star yet. He isn’t a star, but I know a lot of Pistons fans love him. He’s kind of like an NBA nerd’s favorite type of player, especially on the wing. Trey Murphy the third. He’s 24 years old. He starts three years, 90 million remaining. Um, and some of the honorable mentions we get to, the Pelicans are very prevalent because I don’t know what they’re trying to build. They just went and got two guys in the lottery and Derek Queen and Jeremiah Fears. They have Zion Williamson coming back. Um, they have Dejonte Mari coming back from an Achilles. They are all over the place. They seem to think they’re going to be a playin playoff team at least this year trading their first round pick away um in that famous deal. So to get Trey Murphy, you’re banking on somehow the Pelicans new front office not seeing the value in having a wing like that. and maybe like I I like it’ll be tough to get him, but I think the Pistons could put together a pretty enticing deal um to go and get him like uh maybe you throw in once again I think it’s going to be the similar players. It’s always going to be I feel like Ron is going to be the name that’s gets thrown in a lot because he’s this wing that’s I think the Pistons probably have a SAR rank slightly ahead in terms of um on the pecking order. But I think it’s going to take either of one of Ron or Assar. Probably Troy Weaver being in charge there probably likes Assar more because it’s one of his guys. Um but I think the Pistons would not want to part with him. So maybe it’s going to take Ron or maybe it’s going to take Ivy and picks. You never know. But Trey Murphy, he’s more of like that when we’re talking about he fits the mold more of like when Denver traded for Aaron Gordon. He’s not He averaged 22 points this past season, I believe. Uh he’s a great shooter, 36% but a volume three-point shooter. Um five rebounds, 45% from the field. Like 20 like I know that Pelican’s team sucked, but like he went from 14 points here before to 21 points. Obviously, Zion missed a lot of the season, so he got extra shots. But him him if you could keep like him and Assar, him and Ron next to each other, like that’s an elite like duo on the wing. I feel like I know Ron’s still got a fair bit to prove and so does Ass, but like the shooting trade gives. He can be a bit of a rebounder. Really good defensively. Um I’m pretty sure he’s around 6’9, I want to say. I’m just getting that up here. Yeah, 6’8, 6’9. Um he could be a real difference maker for this team. A true two-way player. you add him alongside Assar if you can keep him like you got one of the best perimeter defense in the NBA plus he can shoot and score and like yeah it’d be pretty exciting. I think he would be he’s probably the least realistic of these three just because of I think the Pelicans would value him a lot but I wanted to put him on here um because you never know what the Pelicans are going to do like they are all over the shot. So let me know your thoughts on those three players. Some honorable mentions I had and I’ll quickly fly through these guys. Dejonte Mari and Zion. Like I said, the Pelicans, are they rebuilding? Are they going for it? They got Jordan Pool. They’ve got Jeremiah Fierce. What’s Deontay Mari doing there? But he still has like four years remaining. Zion, like I just I’m not I don’t want Zion at all near the Pistons, but he is a star. He’s an all-star. I don’t know if he’s made all NBA, but I know a lot of fans love him. So, he’s a guy that could be traded this season for sure. Um Giannis, I just I didn’t want to go in on Jiannis cuz I just cannot see him in a Pistons jersey. Like I just can’t I can’t see it. I just don’t see it. Maybe I’m wrong. Darius Garland’s a weird one with the Cavs. If they have another flame out in the playoffs, I could see them going like maybe there was already rumors of him being on the trade block I think last season or the offseason before. I could see them maybe going we need to get more size in our back court defensively. Um but I just don’t think Garland fits with the Pistons and Cade that much. Um LaMelo like I like I could see the Hornets if they have another horrible season. He’s injured looking to pivot off him. I just don’t see him fitting alongside Kade. Triple J. JJ Jackson Jr. would have been in here if he didn’t sign an extension, but it seems like the Grizzlies are all in on him and Jar for at least the next couple of years. So, he kind of didn’t fit the 12 to 18 month profile for me. And then Jaylen Brown was the last one. He maybe should have been up a bit higher, but I just don’t think a trade for him is coming until two trade deadlines, until the season that Jason Tatum’s back and the the Celtics can get a good read on where they’re at with him and Tatum still there. The thing I think, and this is where we’re going to wrap it up, the thing I think a lot of people are sleeping on is everyone keeps saying, “Oh, well, the East is wide open. East is wide open, but it won’t be when Halibet and Tatum are back.” Like, so you got to you got to you got to make your moves this summer. Like, capitalize. And obviously that’s true to a certain extent, but we’re going to have Jason Tan coming back at the age of 28 29 with a 29 year old uh to 30 year old Derek White and Jaylen Brown. They don’t have much of a team. They have a center like and to be honest, same with the Pacers. Like I’m not saying the Celtics are still going to be good and so will the Pacers when Hallebertton gets back. But who knows how long Tatum and Hallebertton are going to take to come back to full form. Fingers crossed they come back healthy. But the thing I think people are forgetting is like the NBA doesn’t just like stop. Things don’t just stay the same. Like the Pistons, Kate Cunningham would be like 25 in his season number six when those guys come back. Pilot Benaro is going to be like 24 in season number five. France Vagnner is going to be in season number six. Like like Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, like they’re going to be in like seasons five and seven. like the the East like I know it’s not the strongest confidence conference but it’s like all these young guys are going to continue to get better and at some point like um I know Hallebertton’s young but it’s like they just lost their center. Um I just think people are very quickly to like act as if like oh once the Pacers and uh Celtics get healthy again they’re going to be you know top three in the East and none of these other teams. It’s just like I I don’t buy into that. Like I think they’re going to be behind. They’re still going to be great teams, but they’ve got to make moves. Like teams like the Pistons, they’re going to the Pistons and Magic and Cavs are going to have this whole season again once again to gel, build chemistry, all their young players get better. Like whereas the Pacers and Celtics kind of just like stalled. They’re going to be waiting on the return of their stars who are extremely good players. But yeah, I I say all this to say um that I’m still a big advocate of the Pistons not making a major trade at least until the trade deadline, if not next off season. Let me know if you disagree, but those are the names I think they could make that big trade for. I’m sure you’ve heard all these names. Let me know which one’s your favorite. Hope you enjoyed the video, and we’ll be back tomorrow with some fresh Pistons content. But until always, go Pistons. [Music]

🚨 Are the Detroit Pistons just ONE MOVE away from title contention?!
Today’s episode breaks down the ESPN take that’s got everyone talking… and I’m giving you my list of realistic stars Detroit could trade for over the next 12–18 months.

We dive into:
🏀 3 blockbuster trade targets that could change the franchise
📈 What recent NBA contenders can teach the Pistons
🧩 Honorable mention moves Detroit could explore
…And how this ONE MOVE could unlock a championship window.

Hit that LIKE button if you believe in the future of this squad 🙌
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