The Detroit Pistons are 28-10 for the season and have a comfortable 3.5-game lead over the No. 2-seeded Knicks in the Eastern Conference. They will almost certainly be a home-court advantage team in the playoffs and have as good a chance as any team in the East to make the NBA Finals.
Despite this, however, there is an overwhelming sense that the Pistons are still one piece away from being a serious title contender. The main reason for this is the lack of an elite offensive threat outside of Cade Cunningham. The Pistons are an excellent defensive team, but their offense can stall for long stretches of the game and can struggle when Cunningham isn't on the court. Not having enough shooting is a big reason why.
Therefore, if the Pistons are to make a trade before the Feb. 5 deadline, it will likely be for a sharpshooter who can be the secondary scorer. Ideally, it would be a forward who can eventually take over as the starter from Tobias Harris.
That is why Michael Porter Jr. remains an ideal trade target for Detroit. The 27-year-old forward fits the Pistons' timeline and should be easier to acquire, compared to other rumored targets like Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Trey Murphy III. As one of the best shooters of his position, MPJ can be a long-term starter for the Pistons.
A trade with the Brooklyn Nets involving Porter Jr. will almost certainly require Tobias Harris and his expiring contract. Adding Jaden Ivey and an unprotected future first-rounder should be enough for Brooklyn to part ways with the former NBA champion.
The framework of the trade could look different, depending on what each team prioritizes. The Pistons could remove Ivey and include Caris LeVert or Ron Holland instead. There could be another draft pick included, depending on who is in the package. The general idea of Tobias Harris and future assets for MPJ, however, could be a win-win scenario for both teams, and one Harris would likely welcome, given he grew up in Long Island.
Porter Jr. is in the midst of the best season of his career, averaging over 25 points per game on excellent efficiency (62.4 True Shooting percentage). He is making a whopping 3.7 3-pointers per game, converting on 39.7 percent of his attempts from downtown. That type of volume and accuracy, especially coming from a 6'10" power forward who can create his own shot, is exactly what Detroit needs to reach another level.
It would be understandable if the Pistons decided to stand pat at the deadline. Seeing what the ceiling is with this group makes sense. But Detroit will eventually need more offense and shooting around Cunningham. If the opportunity to acquire one in the next three weeks is there, the Pistons would be wise to pursue it.