The Detroit Pistons are rebuilding, and so they are not expected to compete for the playoffs in 2021-22. Put simply, the NBA quality on the roster is lacking in a huge way.
However, they have a ton of potential. Cade Cunningham is definitely going to be a star in the league, barring any injuries, and there are others who can also turn into amazing players. Even a young core as good as theirs needs more, so there are some potential trade candidates that could join the Pistons.
The Detroit roster lacks veterans and experience. However, that is not what they need right now. What the Pistons really need is some prospects they could get for a discounted price. There are a ton of great players around the league that might be available for cheap due to their status on their teams.
With that said, we take a look at two trade candidates the Pistons should look at.
Pistons trade candidates
2. Mo Bamba
The Pistons should not be concerned, at least not right now, with positions. Getting the former lottery pick for cents on a dollar is something that a team like Detroit cannot say no to.
Bamba has his issues, obviously. He has not been able to develop properly. Additionally, since high school, he has been having issues with his focus and overall commitment to the game. Those things do not sound well, but his potential and physical advantages through his height and wingspan make the risk worth taking.
To be fair to Bamba, he was not lucky with the team that selected him. The Orlando Magic is a fairly dysfunctional organization without much sense of direction. Bamba was selected when Nikola Vucevic was already on the roster and while his attitude surely did not help, it was also the Magic not knowing where they want to go that contributed to the lack of proper development.
The Pistons are not the bastion of stability, especially due to the poor results they have had recently. However, they have a very capable coach, at least. Dwane Casey is an elite coach and he will definitely help get this squad to play together. When a lot of young guys play for the first time, it might look like a competition of who is going to get the most shots. With Casey, it might actually look good and Bamba would benefit from that organized system.
The former Texas center would also benefit from Casey's coaching style. A tough but fair approach nurtured by Casey is something that Bamba really needs. He needs direction and leadership coming from an experienced guy and Casey has a ton of NBA experience. It was not always positive, obviously, but he is a veteran coach and he will know what to do.
For the sake of his career, Bamba will need a trade this year and the Pistons are a great place to land.
1. Marvin Bagley III
Bagley is another player that needs a good sense of direction after spending three years of his career with the Sacramento Kings. While officially still a Kings player, Bagley has been in trade talks for a while. As a former second pick in the draft, he would hold a lot of trade value, but it is the Kings, after all. He has a ton of potential and as a rebuilding team, the Pistons need to look into this situation.
As said above, Bagley is entering his fourth year and his first three were spent in stagnation. In his second year, he had injury issues and in the most recent one, he was clearly still recovering. Following the usual order of things in the NBA, this season should be his bounce-back year and the Pistons should be on the phone with the Kings right now.
His availability is high, as trade rumors have been circulating for a while now. He would bring both instant success–due to the fact that he has an NBA-ready body–and potential greatness. Additionally, he would not take minutes from any other prospect on the Pistons squad, as the frontcourt is a bit thinner. The only young guy with potential in that part of the Detroit roster is Luka Garza, but it is visible that he will be a backup big at best.
Thus, Bagley–as a combo big-man capable of both playing the power forward and the center position–is perfect for the Pistons. They have an array of assets to pick him up. Casey would be able to coach him well, he does not have any attitude issues, and a change of scenery might be a positive boost.
When the fact that he is an expiring contract is added to the mix, the Pistons can simply choose to let him go and not commit when the season ends should his acquisition turn out not to be fruitful.
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