According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Detroit Pistons have dealt two second-round picks to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for sharpshooting guard Isaiah Joe.
Joe has established himself as a legitimate high-volume threat from beyond the arc, having knocked down 42.3 percent of his six triple attempts per game this past season and maintaining a career mark near 41 percent. Durability is also part of his profile he’s appeared in at least 71 contests in each of the last four campaigns—and he brings prior championship experience to the table.
For a Pistons squad that has long lacked floor-spacing, Joe checks numerous boxes, and he comes attached to a cap-friendly contract that still has two seasons remaining. I had previously highlighted him as a logical target for Detroit once Oklahoma City signaled their willingness to move some of their backcourt surplus in exchange for second-round capital. From Detroit’s perspective, this feels like a home run swing, especially given that they had second-rounders to spare and had recently opened up additional salary flexibility by moving Isaiah Stewart.
While this move functions more as a supplementary addition, it could very well serve as a precursor to more substantial activity.
Duncan Robinson now becomes a viable piece in a larger transaction
Given that the Pistons are in desperate need of outside shooting, offloading their one reliable marksman from deep right after acquiring another would appear to be a sideways step at first glance.
However, if Detroit intends to pursue a major trade particularly for a name like Jaylen Brown, a surprising rumor that Jake Fischer has been circulating (more on that shortly) they will need to aggregate as many contracts as possible to bridge the salary gap, and Duncan Robinson’s deal would almost certainly have to be included.
In a perfect scenario, I’m certain the franchise would prefer to retain Robinson. But if his salary can be leveraged to land a genuine difference-maker, then they’ve just secured his replacement in a younger, more affordable version.
Moving Robinson would have been considerably more challenging without another shooter already in the fold, so the Joe acquisition does lay the groundwork for more ambitious negotiations.
Is Jaylen Brown actually within reach?
Here’s what Fischer had to offer regarding Jaylen Brown:
“There’s also a potential backstop emerging for Boston’s Jaylen Brown trade discussions. Detroit is very much weighing the prospect of signing-and-trading restricted free agent Jalen Duren for Brown, sources say, among other conceptual outcomes, if that option remains available for the Pistons once free agency opens on Tuesday early evening.”
My immediate reaction was astonishment. But upon trying to map out the logistics, it feels more like a far-fetched scenario for multiple reasons. For starters, I have serious doubts that Boston would entertain moving Brown for a package headlined by Jalen Duren.
Even if that were on the table, I’m struggling to see how Detroit bridges the financial gap Duren’s incoming salary is only $19 million, and even if they bundle Robinson, LeVert, and Holland together, they’d still fall short of matching the $57 million Brown is slated to earn next season.
I’m no cap specialist, so there may be creative mechanisms or multi-team frameworks that could make it work.
The appeal of Brown is undeniable he’s a bona fide two-way star who would give Detroit a secondary scorer and instantly elevate their perimeter defense to the league’s best.
But that move would also leave them with Paul Reed and Tolu Smith as their only options at center, meaning any trade for Brown would fundamentally reshape the roster.
Does Trajan Langdon truly want to dismantle the core of a group that just won 60 games? Fasten your seatbelts—we’re about to find out.
Leave a Reply