The Detroit Pistons (10-16) don’t have a winning record right now, but they are still one of the more surprising teams in the Eastern Conference. Recent improvement comes in the context of a very difficult past few seasons.
Right now, the Detroit Pistons on their toughest stretch of the season, losing four of the last five games. But they have won big games, including a victory at the New York Knicks, and have found different ways to show promise. There is a chance the Pistons could regain that momentum and earn a play-in spot.
The Pistons are a big move away from becoming a legitimate threat in the East while other teams start to diminish. That one big move could be trading for Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler.
Jimmy Butler is a player who wants to win and be surrounded by enthusiastic young players and underrated veterans.
The Pistons have built a talented roster that plays well night-in and night-out. If Butler is looking for a change of scenario and to secure a long-term contract, Detroit could be that team.
Sports host Bill Simmons talked about teams that could make the push needed to be bigger threats in their respective conference.
Simmons talked about the Pistons being the team that should be in the hunt for a star through a trade, including Butler, to add to Cade Cunningham, who he feels they can build around.
He explained: “I like what Detroit has going. They don’t have Monty Williams as a coach for one thing, but Cade’s 24 points a game, seven rebounds, nine assists… he’s hit every sort of ceiling he would have thought he was going to hit at this point, shooting almost 40% from the three.
“Like he’s just really good, he’s somebody that you could build a team around. (Malik) Beasley and (Tobias) Harris were two pretty smart free agent signings, they’re averaging a 30 and shooting 40% from three.
“Jaden Ivey’s been good, they have rebounding and I wonder if I’m them ‘____ it, do I do a trade?
“Do I try to get Brandon Ingram on a discount, Zach LaVine on a discount, C.J. McCollum’s on a discount.
“Do I think about Jimmy Butler?’ They don’t have to worry about any of this apron stuff.”
Simmons also mentioned Cam Johnson as another potential Pistons option.
He added that the Pistons were in all likelihood ‘probably not a Jimmy Butler team’, but says they need to think about reaching the next level, as they are building, and are ‘too good to tank’.
For the Pistons to trade for Butler, they’d have to give up an extensive package to Miami. The Pistons have a first-round pick to trade from 2026 to 2031 and they have a second-round pick every year including another in 2027, two more in 2028, two more in 2029, and another in 2030.
The Heat will probably want reliable players or youth. Giving Beasley or Harris might be a start, but they might have to bite the bullet and trade players like rookie Ron Holland and or second-year player Ausar Thompson. Both players were selected by Detroit in the 2024 NBA Draft and 2023 NBA Draft, respectively.
It might be one of the ways that Miami, who is open to trading Butler, would even consider the trade. By trading Butler, it would mean that they closing the NBA Championship window for their current team. They are in fifth place in an underwhelming conference.
It would also mean that the Pistons are all-in on a title push, which is what Butler wants anyway.
Whether Butler remains in Miami, traded to Detroit off to join a superteam like the Houston Rockets, he just wants to win. He may not have the time or patience to match the timescale for Detroit’s growth.
Many NBA fans would love to see Butler in a Dallas Mavericks jersey than with the Pistons. That isn’t their call to make however.
Related Posts
