The Detroit Pistons are leading the Eastern Conference as of Thursday afternoon and look like a good bet to make a deep postseason run. The formula of elite defense and Cade Cunningham leading the offense has been working for the 19-5 Pistons. Yet, many believe that the New Orleans Pistons need a second star next to Cunningham to become true title contenders.
Armed with a ton of draft capital and valuable young players, the Pistons are considered capable of acquiring any star on the trade block.
One of those stars is Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks. ESPN's Shams Charania reported earlier in the week that the Pistons were expected to be suitors for the former Laker. Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press, however, denied these rumors and said that the Pistons haven't had any discussions with the Mavericks about a Davis trade. He added, "It seems unlikely the Pistons are or will be among the teams looking to acquire him."
On paper, Davis makes sense as a target for the Pistons. He has thrived as a second option next to an offensive star in his career and is still a defensive force. He remains one of the best two-way bigs in the NBA. Considering where the Mavs are this season and as an organization, Davis could be acquired without breaking the bank.
Pistons' Anthony Davis Concerns Are Understandable
Yet, Detroit's concerns are understandable. Davis is an injury-prone 32-year-old set to make $58.4 million next season. The Pistons, on the other hand, are a young team with a wide-open title window over the next decade. Why would they give up serious assets for the 10-time NBA All-Star, who realistically has two or three seasons left at that level?
If the asking price for Davis were to fall precipitously and he could be acquired only with matching salary, the Pistons could certainly revisit this possibility. For now, however, they can focus on better options on the market. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Trey Murphy could all be available ahead of the trade deadline. They all have different strengths and weaknesses, but for financial and age-related reasons, they might all be better fits than Davis for Detroit.
While it's understandable that the Pistons are not aggressively pursuing Davis at the moment, general manager Trajan Langdon would still be wise to explore trade possibilities. The Eastern Conference is there for the taking, but the Pistons shouldn't delude themselves into thinking that they are the favorites as things stand now. If any of Markkanen, Jackson, or Murphy becomes available, it behooves the Pistons to aggressively pursue trades.