The Detroit Pistons need another star next to Cade Cunningham this offseason. Four realistic trade targets are Tyler Herro, Lauri Markkanen, Michael Porter Jr., and Trey Murphy III.
The Pistons exceeded expectations this season behind Cunningham’s breakout campaign, but the playoffs exposed one major weakness: Detroit still needs another elite scorer. If the Pistons want to become true Eastern Conference contenders, this offseason could be the time to pursue a major trade.
Herro to the Pistons makes a ton of sense for both teams. The Miami Heat could take back Isaiah Stewart + Caris LeVert (either one could fit into Miami’s $16M trade exception). Detroit also has the 21st pick in the draft to offer. Duncan Robinson and Herro were teammates on the Heat. Herro is exactly what the Pistons are missing.
Herro is a high-volume three-point shooter who shot 37.8% from deep this season. He can create for himself and others. Detroit has the defensive personnel to cover for Herro as well as anyone. He also has high-level playoff experience. He averaged 20.5 points per game on 48 FG%, 4.8 rebounds per game, and 4.1 assists per game during the regular season.
Porter Jr. still feels like the perfect fit for Detroit. The Pistons were linked to him before the deadline. He has the championship pedigree from his time with the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals against the Heat.
Detroit should revisit its previous interest in Porter Jr. if the Brooklyn Nets become more open to trade discussions this offseason. This would make the Pistons the overwhelming favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. He averaged 24.2 PPG on 46.3 FG%, 7.1 RPG, and 3.0 APG this season.
Markkanen to Detroit would be an incredible fit. He is a 7-footer who can space the floor, drop 30 points on any night, and punish defenses for loading up on Cunningham, which feels almost unfair next to the Pistons’ defense. He averaged 26.7 PPG on 47.7% FG, 6.9 RPG, and 2.1 APG for the Utah Jazz this season.
Markkanen’s contract is a difficult number for Detroit. Starting in 2026-27, he is still around the $46M+ range for multiple seasons. That becomes harder to manage next to Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Ausar Thompson’s future contracts.
Murphy is a player that the Pistons could pursue this summer. He averaged 21.2 PPG on 47% FG, 5.7 RPG, and 3.8 APG this season with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Murphy is an excellent shooter and wing. He would clearly help Detroit’s spacing, but the cost would likely be very high, because his skill set fits almost every team in the league. The Pistons may need to include future first-round picks and young talent to land him.
Detroit should not limit its search to only these four players. The blueprint is being redrawn and is ready to add some serious firepower to the engine.
The Pistons should also look for other frontcourt players who can provide size, rebounding, defense, and shooting. Names like Dillon Brooks, Bobby Portis, or Myles Turner are examples of the type of player they need to look at.
Detroit accelerated its rebuild faster than expected this season. The next step is finding a second star who can ease the offensive burden on Cunningham and elevate the Pistons into legitimate Eastern Conference contention.
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