During the upcoming offseason, the Detroit Pistons are expected to focus on adding another scorer to support Cade Cunningham. Their playoff run revealed an overreliance on Cunningham, and despite holding the top seed, they fell short of the Eastern Conference Finals.
In an article for Pistons Powered, John Canady suggested that Detroit should consider taking a chance on New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Canady wrote, “Williamson would be the perfect buy-low target that could elevate Cunningham, given his upside as an ideal running mate. The 25-year-old has yet to hit his prime; he’s an elite offensive weapon at his best, and he still has another level to reach. It’s hard to justify this size of a swing, but a change of scenery could be exactly what Williamson needs to revive his career.”
Over 62 games this season, Williamson put up 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 60.0% from the floor, but only 25.0% from three-point range and 71.6% from the foul line.
The Pelicans finished with a 26–56 record and are entering a new chapter under head coach Jamahl Mosley. The team is reportedly open to trading most of its players this offseason.
Pelicans Willing to Discuss Zion Williamson Trade
According to Garland Gillen of WVUE FOX 8, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars is “open to anything” this summer. Gillen also reported, citing Jake Madison of the Locked on Pelicans podcast, that only two players are considered untouchable: rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. This suggests Zion Williamson could be available for the Pistons or any other team willing to take a risk on the former No. 1 overall pick.
When healthy, Williamson looks like an elite talent, but durability has always been an issue. He has played at least 70 games just once in his career and has struggled with muscle-related injuries in recent seasons, including missing the entire 2021–22 season due to a fractured foot. Despite that, he has averaged 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game over his career.
Pistons GM Outlines Offseason Priority
During the team’s end-of-season media availability last month, Pistons general manager Trajan Langdon was asked about his summer plans. While he didn’t commit to a major trade, he emphasized the need for another ball-handler alongside Cade Cunningham and additional shooting.
Langdon told Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, “The more ballhandling you can have on the floor, the better. I think you see these teams that are successful have a lot of people that can. … Just spreading the floor and shooting helps. Everybody knew that that was something we might struggle with a little bit.”
The Pistons also face decisions on Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, both free agents this offseason—Duren is a restricted free agent, while Harris is unrestricted.
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