The Detroit Pistons are practically built as far as any rebuild goes. Detroit made the NBA Playoffs, avoiding the Play-In, and stood toe-to-toe with the New York Knicks, taking the series to six games while losing two of those contests by one possession.
Still, the Pistons lost enough talent in the offseason to take a moment to pause before declaring the team's arrival in the Eastern Conference. Trajan Langdon can leave his imprint on the organization by getting aggressive at the right time.
Is Langdon's time now? If Walker Kessler is the target, it should be.
Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley rightfully believes the price should be high, but he lauded the production any team would receive by matching the asking price of Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge.
Buckley did give Kessler an interesting label, though: "non-star."
"NBA insider Jovan Buha reported having 'heard nothing but' Utah seeking two first-round picks and a young player for Kessler," Buckley wrote.
"That's a big ask for a non-star, but the 23-year-old is very good at what he does. He is essentially a 7-foot barricade around the basket on the defensive end and a rebounder, screen-setter and finisher on the other.
Walker Kessler Could Become a Star Next to Cade Cunningham
As impressive as he has been since entering the NBA, Kessler has the potential to be more than what he's shown on the Jazz. Standing seven feet, Kessler should be a premier lob threat. He's not played with the caliber of point guard that would bring the most out of his game, though. Kessler had half a season playing alongside Mike Conley before teaming with the likes of Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and even Talen Horton-Tucker, the latter of whom plays for Fenerbahçe Beko of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.
Next to Cade Cunningham, Kessler is pushing 20 points per game. And probably approaching five assists himself. Jalen Duren is slashing nearly 12 points and three assists in that role currently. Kessler not only misses fewer games due to injury, but averages one fewer foul per game than the man currently holding down the center position in the Motor City.
Duren could be the young player Utah is seeking. Langdon could match Ainge's draft pick asking price. There is a very real avenue for this deal to be completed if both sides are interested in doing business with one another.
For the Jazz, they'd add another young, proven big man who can help them move forward in their rebuild. And, on the other side of the spectrum, Cunningham and Kessler could bring "Lob City" to Motown if the Pistons nab their ideal trade target.