Detroit Pistons Explored Surprise Trade Into First Round

Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon kicked around the idea of trading into the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general shot of a basketball with a Detroit Pistons logo on it during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Hornets 116-77. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

For the first time in years, the Detroit Pistons entered the first round of the NBA Draft without a selection. It was Trajan Langdon’s second offseason in office, and he wanted to make an unexpected impact by potentially trading his way into the round.

Calls were made, conversations were had, and at the end of the day, the Pistons felt there wasn’t a deal on the table worth making, according to the President of Basketball Operations.

“There were some different things we looked at to get into the first round—late in the first round—the asks were pretty high,” Langdon told reporters. “I think higher than any in the past.”

Oct 2, 2023; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon speaks during Media Day at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

It’s unclear who or what position the Pistons were targeting when they considered trading their way into the first round. Clearly, a high price tag not being met meant the move was not a high priority. At the end of the day, the Pistons are happy with the way the entire past year played out, even if it meant losing their first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Nobody expected Detroit to make the playoffs, but a shocking turnaround from a 14-68 season helped them earn the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. After falling short against the New York Knicks in six games, the Pistons realized they have a bright future ahead.

On Thursday night, Detroit added another prospect to develop in Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier.

“We knew he was our guy if he got to our pick,” Langdon explained. “We were very fortunate to get him.”

Throughout the pre-draft process, Lanier was one of the most frequently linked prospects to the Pistons. The high-volume sharpshooter fits the style of play that Langdon has prioritized since landing in the Detroit front office. Lanier joins the team as the lone member of the Pistons’ draft class.

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