The night the Pistons won the draft lottery and the right to pick Cade Cunningham, GM Troy Weaver acknowledged that trading the first overall pick is "an option."
And that option remains in play about three weeks from the draft.
"Cunningham is not any kind of lock (for the Pistons) at No. 1," according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, with the team continuing its due diligence on fellow top prospects Evan Mobley and Jalen Green and "exploring several trade opportunities that have emerged."
Houston, Cleveland, New Orleans and Oklahoma City have all contacted the Pistons to evaluate the cost of moving up to No. 1, according to Givony.
The Rockets own the second overall pick, plus picks Nos. 23 and 24. The Thunder own the sixth overall pick, plus picks Nos. 16 and 18. Neither the Cavs, who pick third, nor the Pelicans, who pick 10th, have extra first-rounders to offer this year.
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Per Givony, trade discussions "are at an early stage," but the Pistons "will be active in exploring the possibility of trading down and obtaining additional assets, with Mobley a potential target."
It doesn't mean the Pistons aren't sold on Cunningham. It just means Weaver is doing his homework ahead of the biggest decision of Detroit's rebuild. Givony notes Cunningham remains "the overwhelming favorite" to go first overall to the Pistons, a scenario that Cunningham "would be very excited about."
That said, the draft isn't until July 29. Weaver has plenty of time to assess his options, which will include trading down until he formally submits Detroit's pick.
The last time a team traded the first overall pick was in 2017 when Boston moved down to No. 3 and picked up a future first-rounder in a deal with Philadelphia before drafting current superstar Jayson Tatum. The 76ers took Markelle Fultz No. 1.
