The Detroit Pistons have reached the point in the program where they have a legitimate chance to chase after an NBA title.
That could require a blockbuster trade.
Luckily for Detroit, there are enough talented players on bad teams that if the Pistons want to make something happen, it’s out there to get done.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley is on this line of thinking in a new article out Wednesday. His suggestion? The Pistons should trade with the Utah Jazz to acquire Lauri Markkanen.
In return, Detroit would send Utah a package of Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick.
Markkanen is having by far the best season of his career, pouring in 28.5 points per game.
“Normally, this would all make him too good to trade, but in Salt Lake City, he might be too good to keep,” Buckley writes. “The Jazz have been bad, but not brutally so (tied for 22nd in winning percentage). That’s a quietly key distinction, since they only have top-eight protection on the 2026 first-round pick they owe Oklahoma City. The Jazz have secretly strong incentive to sell Markkanen, then, and rival executives have circled him as an ideal addition for the Pistons, per Jake Fischer of the Stein Line. Detroit could use more star power and better spacing around Cade Cunningham, and Markkanen, who played for coach J.B. Bickerstaff in Cleveland, would check both boxes.”
Buckley goes on to analyze the potential hold up: Ausar Thompson. The expectation would be that the Jazz would want the talented Thompson in a trade, and that the Pistons wouldn’t want to do that.
But in the end, if Utah decides it has to trade Markkanen, there is only so much haggling that can be done.
The Pistons would certainly be quite formidable with Markkanen added to their lineup, maybe formidable enough to go and win the whole thing.
