The Detroit Pistons entered the previous season with high aspirations, having secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference, only to see their playoff run cut short sooner than they had hoped. Now, the organization is determined to make a significant impact during the offseason while continuing to develop the promising young talent already on its roster.
However, the start of free agency brought an early setback, as veteran forward Tobias Harris decided to depart for the San Antonio Spurs.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Harris agreed to a two-year deal worth $31 million with San Antonio. The 33-year-old forward leaves behind a Pistons squad that he helped guide through a notable resurgence over the past two seasons.
With Harris now out of the picture, Detroit may turn its attention to the trade market in search of a star-caliber player to complement Cade Cunningham. Gray Deyo of Sports Illustrated has suggested that the Pistons could pursue Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant.
Deyo pointed out that Harris had filled the small forward role alongside Cunningham and posted solid numbers during the 2025–2026 campaign, averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Even so, he argued that Detroit, which exited in the second round of the playoffs amid a rapidly strengthening Eastern Conference, should be seeking a transformative addition to elevate the roster. Acquiring Durant would certainly accomplish that, and the Pistons possess both draft assets and tradable players to assemble a package that would force the Rockets to at least consider the proposal.
Durant is not viewed as wholly untouchable in trade conversations, and there has even been speculation that he would be open to joining forces with Cunningham.
NBA insider Brett Siegel reported that sources indicated the Pistons had been actively exploring ways to land Durant, though nothing advanced in a three-team scenario or in separate discussions with Houston. Notably, the most compelling takeaway from the chatter is that Durant himself has shown interest in playing alongside Cunningham.
Should Detroit pull off such a move, the pairing of Durant and Cunningham would immediately become one of the most electrifying duos in the league. If the front office can also supplement the roster with additional pieces including young center Jalen Duren the Pistons could emerge as a formidable contender in the Eastern Conference.
Durant is currently playing under a $90 million contract with the Rockets, meaning Detroit would not be taking on an overwhelming financial commitment. A blockbuster trade of this nature would only intensify the already fierce competition within the Eastern Conference heading into next season.
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