Should the Pistons go all-in at the trade deadline? 8 potential targets who could turn Detroit into a title favorite

Two years ago today, the Detroit Pistons were 4-37 and stumbling out of an NBA record 28-game losing streak. The Pistons were the league’s punchline, a team that would scrape together just 10 more wins before the nightmare finally ended. Now, they’re 30-10 and staring down at the rest of the Eastern Conference.

But the climb is only starting. The next few weeks before the Feb. 5 trade deadline will reveal what Detroit still needs to jump from a great story to an unquestionable favorite. Because when April turns into a possession-by-possession fight, everything starts with who can create offense against a set defense.

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The hardest piece is already in place. The first thing a team needs to contend is a superstar, and Cade Cunningham has officially leveled up into a genuine All-NBA engine. He’s manipulating defenses with patience, ranking near the top of the league in assists while maintaining three-level scoring and versatile defense.

(Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

Stars aren’t enough in the modern NBA though. Recent champions and runners-up have been defined by depth. Between smart additions and developmental leaps, Detroit’s supporting cast is strong. Some of it is external. Duncan Robinson’s movement gravity has added a new wrinkle to the offense, while Caris LeVert has provided secondary creation off the bench. But like Cade’s leap, Detroit’s rise is really built on internal growth.

Jalen Duren belongs in the East All-Star conversation for his violent rim pressure, elite rebounding, and back-line defense. He used to drift in and out of games. Now he looks like the spine of an elite unit.

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That shift has unlocked a second one. Last season, J.B. Bickerstaff barely played Duren next to another big. Duren and Isaiah Stewart shared the floor for only eight minutes. This season, about 25% of Duren’s minutes have come alongside Stewart. And it’s working because Stewart is also playing the best basketball of his life.

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Stewart still has a reputation as the “tough guy,” and while that is true, he’s not just a classic…

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Author : Kevin O'Connor

Publish date : 2026-01-19 15:50:00

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