As the Detroit Pistons finalize their trade for Isaiah Joe from the Oklahoma City Thunder, new reporting sheds light on how that move could reshape their approach to the backcourt market. Even as speculation continues to swirl around the Pistons following the Joe deal, this NBA insider breaks down what the trade might mean for the team’s interest in potentially adding guards like Tyler Herro and Norman Powell.
Detroit is sending out two future second-round picks to land Joe, according to Shams Charania of ESPN on Friday. Meanwhile, two other names that have surfaced in connection with the Pistons are Herro who is now headed to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster involving the Miami Heat and Heat guard Norman Powell, who is approaching unrestricted free agency.
In a piece for The Stein Line, Jake Fischer suggests that following the Joe trade, Detroit is now “less likely” to make a run at either of those backcourt targets.
“Sources say that the Pistons’ acquisition of Joe now makes it less likely that they will pursue other targets on their list of guards known for shooting prowess. If that approach gets locked in, Joe’s arrival would have ripple effects on Norman Powell’s unrestricted free agency as well as the follow-up trade market for soon-to-be-Buck Tyler Herro,” Fischer wrote.
Detroit bolsters its perimeter firepower with Isaiah Joe
Bringing Joe into the fold gives the Pistons a significant outside shooting weapon, as he put up 11.1 points per game for the Thunder last season while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 42.3 percent from three-point range on roughly six attempts a night. Fischer also notes the specifics of the draft compensation Detroit is parting with and frames the move as part of the team’s broader push to strengthen its backcourt rotation.
“Sources say that the Pistons…will send Oklahoma City a 2030 second-round pick from Minnesota and Detroit’s own 2031 second-rounder,” Fischer wrote. “Detroit had been forced this week to pivot twice in its search for a backcourt boost thanks to the Lakers and Hornets coming to terms on new deals with Austin Reaves and Coby White.”
In any case, it remains unclear whether the Pistons will continue to chase Herro or Powell moving forward.
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