The Detroit Pistons continue to dominate the Eastern Conference, maintaining a healthy lead at the halfway mark of the season. Winning three straight and six out of their seven games, the Pistons have every right to feel good about their chances this season.
Yet, a closer look at Detroit, and Cade Cunningham specifically, shows a very clear need for trade deadline upgrades. It would be a costly mistake for GM Trajan Langdon to be complacent and stand pat between now and Feb. 5.
Cunningham is in the midst of his worst slump of the season. In the three games since his return from a wrist injury, the star guard is shooting 27.6% from the field and averaging 14 points per game. As a result, the Pistons had 110.2, 112.6, and 114.3 offensive ratings in the last three games, all significantly lower than the league average.
Detroit has had a bottom-tier offense in recent weeks, and winning games shouldn't distract the front office from this reality.
Pistons' Offense Isn't Good Enough to Win a Title and Trade Deadline Could Help Fix That
With two weeks until the trade deadline, the Pistons have an excellent opportunity. They need more shot creators and shot makers in the rotation. Cunningham needs more space to operate, and this requires more shooting.
While it's obviously positive that the Pistons can win games when their offense isn't humming, this slump should raise alarm bells in Detroit. Having an elite defense like Detroit is great, but you can't win a championship in the NBA without at least being above-average on both ends of the floor. This team's limited offensive ceiling, especially when Cunningham's shot isn't falling, will prevent them from winning a title this season.
Detroit is overly reliant on Cunningham offensively, making them an easier team to guard at the highest levels. With limited spacing around him, Cunningham can understandably struggle with efficiency.
As the roster is currently constructed, the Pistons don't have an elite shooter outside of Duncan Robinson. And Robinson comes with significant defensive shortcomings. It behooves the Pistons to add a sharpshooter who isn't as big a liability as Robinson is on the defensive end. If this shooter can also create his own shot and take the reins a little when Cunningham is off, it would be a home run scenario for the Pistons.
This type of player will obviously require significant assets to acquire. The Pistons should not only be willing to part ways with the likes of Jaden Ivey, Caris LeVert, and Ron Holland to make the salaries work if needed, but they also have to trade a few of their future first-round picks.
Whether it's Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Trey Murphy, or another potentially available starter on the trade block, the Pistons have to pursue a high-level offensive player. Otherwise, they may regret not being aggressive at the deadline when they are struggling to score in April and May.