With the Pistons emerging as a threat in the East, is this summer the time to go big? Detroit could become a true contender by adding another star next to Cade Cunningham.
Lauri Markkanen of the Jazz and Devin Booker of the Suns are two names to circle this offseason, says Jim Costa. And in potential trade conversations, Jaden Ivey could be a player for the Pistons to dangle. The former fifth overall pick was enjoying a breakout season before breaking his leg in January. With the Pistons playing so well without him, "Jaden Ivey is more trade chip than building block," says Costa:
"That’s not me saying I want to run Jaden Ivey out of Detroit. But if we’re looking at this logically, you've gotta give to get. If they’re going to look to upgrade this team and add an All-Star opposite Cade, I think we like Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren, guys that are playing and are young and are a part of this. Ivey is injured. He’s not playing. You've gotta give to get. Isn’t he the most expendable of this young nucleus?"
It would likely require multiple first-round picks along with Ivey to trade for a player like Booker, and that might not mesh with the Pistons' timeline under Trajan Langdon. But to "the Pistons fans that want to keep everybody" and assume "all the young players are going to develop and you’re going have a roster full of All-Stars ... this idea that everybody’s untouchable for a team that’s not in NBA title contention is silly to me," says Costa.
"We all agree that they are not NBA contenders. So then, who are your Big Three? Cade is the 1, the superstar, the centerpiece. Who’s the 2 and the 3? And those are questions right now. I think Ausar Thompson realistically could end up in there. Is Malik Beasley a 3? I don't know that they have a 2, and I think that’s where the conversations will shift if they keep winning.
"Is Ivey more trade chip or building block? Right now I would say he’s more trade chip, because he’s not playing and all these other guys are."