Should The Detroit Pistons Be Interested In Zach LaVine?
A NBA star is playing high-level basketball and is widely available to trade for. Should the Detroit Pistons be interested?
Earlier this week, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report wrote about five trades across the NBA that he feels teams should consider.
The Detroit Pistons were involved in a major mock trade in this exercise.
The trade:
Detroit Pistons receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls receive: Isaiah Stewart, Tim Hardaway Jr., Simone Fontecchio, 2027 2nd round pick
This would be a significant trade for the Pistons. LaVine is under contract for another two years following the 2024-25 season. He has a player option of just under $49 million that he will almost surely accept for the 2026-27 season, when he is 31 years old.
To be fair to LaVine, he has been good this year, really good. Through 22 games, he has averaged 22.1 points on 50.6% field-goal percentage and 43.2% from the 3-point line. Aside from scoring, he’s added 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
If LaVine was on a more team-friendly contract, he would be viewed as a high-level trade candidate. But the Bulls have been unable to move LaVine because of his contract dating back to last season.
And despite his strong start to the season, this has remained the case.
"He's having an excellent year," NBA Insider Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective (12:00 mark). "We know that he's been on the trade block for a year now, at least. Yet, I hear nothing about LaVine on the trade market and I don't think it's because the Bulls aren't interested in trading him."
In today’s NBA, teams are very cautious when it comes to trade for big contracts as players inch closer to their 30s. Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans, another player who has been a speculated trade target for the Pistons, is in the same position.
If the Pistons didn’t have to commit another $90+ million to LaVine over the next few years, he would be a much more appealing target — especially when the perceived price to acquire him is not all that costly.
Isaiah Stewart would be the biggest loss for Detroit in the trade. He has been vital for the team this season, thriving in his role as the backup center behind Jalen Duren. Losing him would leave a void at Detroit’s center spot that I’m not sure Paul Reed is capable of filling.
Bringing in LaVine could also complicate Detroit’s backcourt situation. Would LaVine start alongside Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey? Would Ivey have to move to the bench? Would LaVine’s presence stagnant that development or limit the minutes available to Ivey, Ausar Thompson, or Ron Holland?
The Pistons are playing better basketball this year than they have in years prior. Still, they are not a playoff-caliber team. LaVine, with how he has performed this year, would certainly help Detroit continue to shorten the gap between them and a return to the postseason.
Does President of Basketball Operations, Trajan Langdon, view LaVine as a piece worth pairing Cade Cunningham with for the next few years? Is LaVine worth sacrificing someone like Stewart, Jaden Ivey, or Jalen Duren for?
It remains to be seen if the Pistons will re-enter the trade market for Zach LaVine — which is something they did last season reportedly. While LaVine’s contract certainly raises some eyebrows for its volatility, his level of play this season has been much improved. The Pistons should at least consider it.