The Detroit Pistons confront a critical offseason after the worst season in franchise history and into year five of the “restoration”. However, as of early May, we still do not know who will be the President of Basketball Operations. We don’t know whether Troy Weaver will be propelled into space or demoted to a lower post. We’re not sure if our head coach cares about coaching this team. The moral of the story is that things are a complete disaster right now. So, how should the Pistons address this mess?
Enter Trae Young. I can sense the Pistons fans preparing to throw tomatoes at my face and boo me off the stage. Just listen to me for five minutes. This summer, Trae Young will undoubtedly be available for trade. He discusses his future on his From the Point podcast:
.@TheTraeYoung gives honest take on his future
via From the Point by Trae Young pic.twitter.com/851uk9OGVy
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 1, 2024
I can hear the Pistons fans now. “THE PISTONS ARE NOT READY TO WIN NOW! “Why would he want to come here?!” Everyone shrieking at the screen right now is completely correct. Young’s “Teams I Want to Go to and Win Now” list does not include the Detroit Pistons. I acknowledge this.
But we weren’t on Blake Griffin’s list either. We were not even on his radar. The thing is, Young is under contract until 2028, therefore Landry Fields (GM of the Hawks) has the last say on where he moves the three-time All-Star. If the Pistons can make Fields a tempting offer, Trae, welcome to the Motor City. For what it’s worth, the Pistons have been considered as a potential “wild card” destination for Young.
The Detroit Pistons need star power
The Pistons desperately need stars. Not potential stars, but established stars. This restoration has failed because Killian Hayes did not become a star, let alone a basketball player. Saddiq Bey didn’t become a celebrity. Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey are not stars. Cade Cunningham, in my opinion, is a star. However, he stars on the NBA’s weakest roster.
The idea this offseason should be to focus exclusively on Cade and create a roster around him. If we don’t show Cade this offseason that we’re serious about winning, he’ll pack his bags and depart, and I wouldn’t blame him for a second. If only there was a proven celebrity who wanted to get out of his current situation!
Say whatever you want about Trae Young, but he is an established talent, a three-time All-talent in fact. Young is an exceptional scorer, averaging 25 points per game and shooting 36% from three during his six seasons in the NBA. He also gets others involved, averaging nearly 10 assists per game. You won’t win anything in the modern NBA unless you have All-Star bucket-getters on your roster. Trae Young is an All-Star bucket-getter who goes to the line, shoots a decent percentage from three on high volume, and plays unselfishly with the ball. He may not be everyone’s first option, but you’d be deceiving yourself if you thought he wouldn’t benefit Cade and the Pistons organization.
The Detroit PIstons need a villain
The Bad Boys. Darren McCarty’s Red Wings. Brad Holmes’ “Villain” sweaters. “Detroit vs Everybody” . The city of Detroit enjoys playing the villain. For the Pistons fan base, the last 15 years of terrible Pistons basketball are our genesis story.
Trae Young, New York City’s public enemy number one, is the best candidate for “Detroit” in my opinion. He’s ugly and hatable, and his curly hair makes NBA fans want to pull their own out. Young, who stands six feet tall and weighs 170 pounds, is a pain in the a**. Again, Knicks fans will tell you about it. But do you know what the worst thing about him is? He has all of the Grinch-like attributes and will still bury your squad with another 35-footer in the playoffs.
You can hear his ambition and determination to win in the audio segment embedded above. I’d want to believe he’ll do whatever it takes to return to relevant postseason basketball, knowing that if he doesn’t, his career will fade. Trae Young was here, assisting the soft-spoken good-cop Cade in leading the Pistons to the playoffs. I am confident that the community of Detroit will not only welcome him, but also induct him into the Pistons-Legends Hall of Fame, much like Blake Griffin. He is a villain through and through, one who the Hawks have given up on, and Detroit would be the ideal setting for him to begin his redemption tale and truly become the NBA’s villain.
But what about his fit on the Pistons’ roster?
Trae Young’s fit with the Detroit Pistons
Trae Young does not fit on the present roster, but I feel he fits next to Cade, if the Pistons front office makes other competent signings to complement a Cunningham/Young backcourt.
People will immediately say that Dejounte and Trae didn’t fit. I’ll take a different approach and say they fit well enough to compete in the playoffs/play-ins every year. The Hawks won 41 games in Murray’s debut season and 36 games this year. That type of season seems unachievable for the Pistons right now.
While 36-40 wins per year should not be the end objective for the Pistons, I believe Cade and the Pistons community need to see improvement; a step in the right direction. Add Fontecchio, add Kelly Oubre or Tobias Harris (on a cheap deal), and make a push at Nicolas Claxton or Clint Capela in his final year of contract, and you’ll have a competitive NBA club with young, eager bench guys.
I don’t understand why Young and Cade can’t get along on the court; they’re both pick-and-roll masters, excellent three-point shooters, and capable of creating and passing. Cade needs a running partner because he is selfless and does not want to shoot 30 shots per game. Young would play the aggressive bucket-getter role, whereas Cade is patient and strikes when he sees opportunity. It appears to be a connection in which both parties relieve each other’s stress. Get two knockdown Three-and-D players (we already have one in Simone) to play alongside these two, and we’ll see good, competitive Pistons basketball again.
Look, do I believe Trae Young will be a Detroit Piston next season? No, I do not. Is it anything I’m yelling or asking for? Not really. Would I be fully supportive? Yes, I would. I beg the Pistons’ front office to act quickly and implement something like Trae Young’s plan this offseason.
Another “run-it-back” will be too much for the Pistons community. This roster is broken; the pieces don’t make sense. Cade is the man, and every decision this offseason should be made with him in mind as the franchise’s cornerstone player. Every Batman requires a Robin, though. Cade cannot do it alone. The Pistons have enough assets and cap flexibility to put this derailed train back on track.
