The Detroit Pistons have finally returned to NBA relevance this season, currently sitting No. 6 in the West with a 38-31 record. The team broke the record for most consecutive losses last season and has rebounded to a Playoff position in their first season under head coach JB Bickerstaff. The team is looking like future contenders led by 23-year-old All-Star Cade Cunningham, as their future is very bright.
The team will be expected to show signs of improvement next season after likely making their maiden Playoff appearance with Cade and their current core this season. To fast-track the team’s return to contention, they could land an undervalued star who could become a part of their contention core for years to come.
The Utah Jazz’s rebuild seems to be all over the place, and they should consider trading Lauri Markkanen to the Pistons if they come in with an offer in the summer.
Trade Details
Detroit Pistons Receive: Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz Receive: Tobias Harris, Marcus Sasser, Simone Fontecchio, 2027 First-Round Pick (DET), 2029 Top-10 Protected First-Round Pick (DET)
Recognizing modern-day NBA salary realities, the Jazz getting the chance to get off the five-year, $238 million extension they handed Markkanen without a single dollar of that deal being paid by them could be a masterstroke. We’re seeing how hard teams are looking to move off these contracts, so getting Markkanen off right now to an ambitious young team for a decent return could be the right move.
The Pistons Set Themselves Up For Years Of Contention
The Pistons have carefully built their current core of players through the NBA draft and some key veteran acquisitions like Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. Unfortunately, they’ll have to use Harris’ contract to make this deal feasible, but it’s inarguable that Markkanen is a massive upgrade on Harris as the team’s starting power forward.
Markkanen averaged 19.0 points and 5.9 rebounds this season, having muted production all season as the Jazz have tanked from the opening tip of the season. This has to be a cause of dissatisfaction for Markkanen, who was shut down in two consecutive seasons when they were competing for the Playoffs before being limited all season to help the Jazz’s draft positioning.
Lauri is still just 26 years old. His stats this year are basic, but he averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds last season while playing motivated basketball. He’s already financially secure, so he can focus on playing winning basketball and thriving as a seven-foot No. 2 option behind Cunningham, expertly playing off him as an inside-outside threat.
The Jazz Move On Before They’re Hamstrung
The Markkanen contract still has value right now due to his age and past production, so moving off it now before anything troubling happens would be the best move for Utah. They won’t magically become contenders next season based on how early they are in their rebuild, so trading him on and building around whatever blue-chip prospect they select in the 2025 Draft would be the best move.
Tobias Harris is averaging 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds this season. His value comes as a veteran and an expiring contract, as the Jazz can gain a lot more salary flexibility by keeping Harris and using him as a mentor for their young stars. Marcus Sasser is averaging 5.7 points and 2.2 assists this season and could be a rotational guard if given more opportunity.
Simone Fontecchio is averaging 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds this season. He’s a former Jazz and could be used in additional deals for more returning assets to Utah. Getting two picks for Markkanen with that contract is a massive coup, as they don’t have to bear the financial liability for what could become a franchise-hampering contract in a few seasons.
The Pistons Take A Risk, The Jazz Adjust Their Core
This would be a massive bet on Markkanen by the Pistons, as the forward might not be at the caliber to deserve a supermax on pure merit. Nonetheless, he could be a 20+-point contributor for the Pistons as they tack on as a contender. It could hurt them on the salary front going forward, but it could set them up for years of contention if it works with a highly dynamic star duo leading the squad.
The Jazz extended Markkanen instead of trading him in the summer because teams weren’t matching their price. Watching his value get worse on a tanking team that can’t give him a competitive home seems fruitless, so this seems like a solid return for a player the Jazz anyway got as compensation the last time they traded a franchise All-Star like Donovan Mitchell.
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