The Detroit Pistons are the best team in the Eastern Conference right now, and while it's still early in the season, it's safe to say that this isn't a fluke. That being said, even the best things can be improved, and this team isn't the exception to that rule.
The Pistons will get Jaden Ivey back soon, and he should be a massive reinforcement as it is. Even so, he could also be an appealing trade chip if they don't want to disrupt what they have going on. Should that be the case, he could be the centerpiece to give the Sacramento Kings a helping hand, all while bringing an All-Star to Motor City.
Pistons Should Consider a Move For Domantas Sabonis
The Kings will reportedly go through a panic sale sooner rather than later. Unsurprisingly, that means that Domantas Sabonis will be at the center of countless trade rumors. Per The Athletic's Sam Amick, teams have already started inquiring about him:
"As it relates to Sabonis, my understanding is there are at least a few teams that have raised their hand to say, ‘Yeah, he’s somebody we’d want to talk about.'," Amick said, per Real GM.
Of course, the Pistons seem to be more than set at center with Jalen Duren, who's in the midst of a breakout year and might be playing himself into a very lucrative restricted free agent. Even so, Sabonis can stretch the floor with the occasional 3-pointer -- he's a career 34.4% shooter from beyond the arc -- and he's one of the best passing big men in the league, as well as an elite rebounder. He'd give J.B. Bickerstaff another facilitator and added help on the glass.
More than that, Bickerstaff already fared quite well by pairing up two big men. He had Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen next to each other in Cleveland, and having Duren by his side would certainly help hide some of Sabonis' defensive flaws.
Of course, it would take some financial juggling, but both parties could benefit from this transaction. The Kings could get their point guard of the future in Ivey and some combination of another solid PF/C in Isaiah Stewart, Tobias Harris' expiring contract, or draft capital as trade bait.
The fact that Sabonis is currently sidelined for the next 3-4 weeks with a meniscus injury complicates things. However, players have bounced back from this type of injury before, and Sabonis' game is predicated more on his overall skill set rather than elite athleticism. That alone shouldn't scare Detroit away from doing its due diligence on the veteran big man.
Detroit, on the other hand, could get Sabonis, Malik Monk -- who was a trade candidate in the offseason -- and a potential two-way star/Sixth Man of the Year candidate in Keon Ellis. It's a bit of a gamble, but this team isn't getting much from Harris, hasn't had Ivey play a single minute, and could easily replace Stewart's production off the bench.