The Detroit Pistons are on fire and certainly don't need to make any big trades to win the Eastern Conference. Yet, with the trade deadline only six weeks away, the fans are naturally interested in seeing how the Pistons are going to approach the crucial transaction period.
With a ton of intriguing young players, matching salary, and draft capital, the Pistons have a chance to go out and acquire any player on the trade block. But which players will GM Trajan Langdon actually want to part ways with? There have been plenty of trade rumors surrounding key Pistons players, but here are the ones that are most likely, ranked from least to most likely to get moved this season.
5. Tobias Harris
On paper, Harris is an ideal trade chip. He is a 33-year-old expiring contract with a $26.6 million salary. The Pistons could easily attach first-round picks to that contract and acquire a high-level starter.
At the same time, the Pistons love Harris. He has been a great organizational soldier since his return in the 2024 offseason. He is the only true power forward on the team and has been a key two-way player. Unless it's for an elite difference-maker in a no-brainer trade, the Pistons will be hesitant to move away from their most experienced and capable veteran.
4. Jaden Ivey
The Pistons will presumably only make Ivey available if they can get a true star. Recent reports have denied Detroit's interest in a blockbuster trade, so the odds of an Ivey trade are perhaps lower than they were a few weeks ago.
Still, Ivey is a restricted free agent at the end of the year. Only the Pistons and Ivey's agents know how far apart they are in extension negotiations. If the gap between the sides is too big, trading Ivey for positive value now that he is healthy and playing well may not be the worst idea.
3. Duncan Robinson
Robinson is the only elite shooter on this team, so the Pistons would want to keep him around. At the same time, he is a big defensive liability who gets targeted by opposing offenses. This could prove to be a problem in the postseason, so if the Pistons can upgrade his spot, they should seriously consider it.
The 31-year-old sharpshooter makes $16.8 million this season, but is on a partially guaranteed deal for the next two seasons. It's certainly not a team-friendly deal, but considering how desperate some teams are for shooting, he could have some interest on the market. But the Pistons will only move on from Robinson if they can get an obvious upgrade who can shoot as well as Robinson while playing at a decent level. Those players, unfortunately, don't grow on trees.
2. Caris LeVert
LeVert has been good for the Pistons since his offseason signing. He provides the team with veteran competence off the bench, guarding, hitting open shots, and keeping the ball moving as a secondary playmaker.
While the Pistons would like to keep LeVert for their playoff run, his salary is the best trade chip Detroit has. If the Pistons want to add another high-level rotation player in a trade, LeVert's $14.1 million salary is the best way they can get to a mid-sized salary to send back in a deal. The 31-year-old shooting guard is not a negative asset, could help another team, and is not that valuable a rotation player for the Pistons, making him a likely trade candidate ahead of the February 5 deadline.
1. Marcus Sasser
The Pistons could have used Sasser early in the season when they were dealing with a slew of injuries, most notably Jaden Ivey's. Unfortunately, Sasser was also sidelined and squandered his chance to carve out a role for himself. Since his return, the 25-year-old point guard has only played in garbage time and doesn't have a path to playing time.
Making $2.8 million this season and having decent untapped potential as a shooter and pick-and-roll player, Sasser could be on the move. He may have a few suitors who would want to take a look at him while he is on a team-friendly deal.