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The Detroit Pistons are currently holding their own in the final weeks of the regular season, with their superstar Cade Cunningham out with a collapsed lung. However, while they may have it on lock now, not having a solid scoring option behind Cunningham could come back to bite them next time a major injury happens to him.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes believes he has a solution: a three-team trade proposal that sees the Pistons work with the Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets to land 2023 NBA champion Michael Porter Jr., and a first-round pick.
The trade would look like this:
Pistons get: F Michael Porter Jr., 2026 first-round pick (via CHA)
Hornets get: F Ausar Thompson, F/C Paul Reed
Nets get: F Miles Bridges, G Duncan Robinson, 2027 first-round pick (most favorable of CHA/DAL)
“The Pistons still desperately need more scoring and spacing threats to truly profile as a contender. Porter Jr. flashed never-before-seen creation skills with Brooklyn this season, adding a layer to an offensive game previously defined by spot-up sniping and minimal dribbling. The Pistons wouldn't necessarily need him to generate his own looks like the Nets did this year, but they'd happily take a bit of creation along with MPJ's five-alarm fire outside shooting. MPJ could slot into Tobias Harris' spot in the lineup, offering elite scoring and underrated defense in the frontcourt, while adding a new and dangerous dimension to the Pistons' attack. It might be enough to put them over the top as 2027 title threats,” Hughes wrote.
This season, Porter is averaging 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, three assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Put him on Detroit, and his PPG might suffer a bit, but he’d still be a 20 PPG second option to help take the scoring load off Cunningham.
If the Pistons get bounced before making the NBA Finals, this is a trade they need to make. Even if they do make it, hopefully they still try to deal for Porter to make a run at back-to-back Finals appearances.
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