The Detroit Pistons shocked the basketball world this past season, finishing 44-38 and snagging the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. After years of being stuck in rebuild purgatory, their young core finally began to show what it could be.
Cade Cunningham looked like the franchise centerpiece Detroit envisioned when they drafted him No. 1 overall.
Jaden Ivey developed into a dangerous secondary scorer and playmaker. Jalen Duren blossomed into one of the league’s most athletic and promising young centers. And Ausar Thompson showed flashes of elite two-way potential as a rookie.
The Pistons have gone from hopeless to hopeful, but now comes the hard part: turning a solid young foundation into a legitimate contender. And that’s where a bold trade idea could reshape the entire trajectory of the franchise.
Detroit Pistons Receive: Deni Avdija
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, 2026 Detroit Pistons first-round pick, 2029 Detroit Pistons first-round pick
In 2024-25, Deni Avdija quietly broke out into one of the most versatile young forwards in the league. With the Portland Trail Blazers, he averaged 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.5% from three.
Those aren’t just role player numbers, those are borderline star numbers for a 24-year-old wing who defends multiple positions and doesn’t need the ball to thrive.
The Pistons already have ball-dominant creators in Cunningham and Ivey. They need a connector, someone who can defend, space the floor, keep the ball moving, and still score when asked. Avdija checks all those boxes. His playmaking at the forward spot would help unlock Cade as more of a scorer, and his shooting would create the spacing Duren desperately needs in the paint.
Most importantly, Avdija plays winning basketball. He’s shown he can scale up or down depending on team needs. On a Pistons roster filled with potential but still learning how to win, he’d bring maturity and consistency.
For Detroit, parting with Ron Holland and Stewart hurts. Holland has upside, but as a rookie he averaged just 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds on 23.8% shooting from three.
The defense is intriguing, but he’s years away from being a real contributor. Stewart, meanwhile, is a gritty role player who averaged 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds on 55.9% shooting. He’s a good bench big, but his skill set is largely replaceable.
The real price is the draft picks. A 2026 and a 2029 first is significant draft capital. But the Pistons already have their young stars in Cunningham, Ivey, Duren, and Thompson. At some point, you can’t just keep hoarding prospects, you need to consolidate and push chips in. Avdija is young enough to grow with this core while also being experienced enough to make an immediate impact.
The Potential New Starting Lineup Would Look Elite
If this deal went through, the Pistons could roll out a starting five that looks like this:
PG- Cade Cunningham
SG- Jaden Ivey
SF- Ausar Thompson
PF- Deni Avdija
C- Jalen Duren
That lineup has everything. Cade is the engine. Ivey is the lightning bolt scorer. Ausar as the defensive ace. Avdija is the glue guy. Duren as the interior anchor. It’s balanced, versatile, and has the kind of two-way potential that playoff teams are built on.
Last season’s 44-38 finish was impressive, but the Pistons still had weaknesses. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in three-point shooting and lacked a steady secondary playmaker behind Cunningham. Avdija instantly addresses both. He spaces the floor with his improved three-point stroke and takes pressure off Cade as another decision-maker.
Defensively, he gives them another big, switchable forward who can guard across positions. Pairing him with Ausar on the wings would give Detroit one of the most versatile defensive duos in the East. Add Duren’s rim protection, and suddenly the Pistons could field a top-10 defense to go with their improving offense.
And unlike many bold trades, this doesn’t sacrifice Detroit’s long-term future. Avdija is only 24 and entering his prime. He fits the timeline of Cade and Ivey perfectly.
The Pistons are no longer just a rebuilding team; they’re on the verge of something greater. To make the leap from plucky upstart to legitimate contender, they need more than just potential. They need proven, ascending talent.
Deni Avdija is exactly that. Trading away Holland, Stewart, and two picks is a risk, but it’s the type of calculated gamble that can accelerate a rebuild. With Avdija in the fold, the Pistons could field one of the most exciting young starting fives in the league, a group that balances playmaking, shooting, defense, and athleticism.
In the NBA, windows don’t stay open forever. Detroit stunned everyone by finishing sixth this year. The next step is proving it wasn’t a fluke. With a bold move like this, the Pistons wouldn’t just be building for the future, they’d be building an elite team right now.
