Detroit Pistons Named as Worst Landing Spot for All-Star Guard

In the NBA, debates constantly ensue about which star is going to be on the move next. Armed with a sizable amount of cap space this summer, the Detroit Pistons have put themselves in a position to be a major player in the market.

As we are still weeks away from the offseason, the rumor mill has already begun to heat up. One name commonly brought up is Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. This chatter has gotten even louder after the Hawks won the draft lottery and will be picking first overall in June.

Recently, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report did a break down of all the top names in the trade rumors heading into the offseason. When discussing possible landing spots for Young, he cited the Pistons as the worst fit.

That something shouldn't involve bringing Young to the Motor City. He couldn't solve their talent deficiencies. If anything, the huge number of offensive touches he'd command might stall the development of franchise centerpiece Cade Cunningham (and, if he somehow wasn't involved in the trade, Jaden Ivey, too).

As Buckley mentioned, the biggest roadblock of a move like this for Detroit is what it would do to Cade Cunningham. After missing a majority of last season with an injury, the former No. 1 pick bounced back in a big way in 2024. Along with appearing in 62 games, Cunningham averaged 22.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 7.5 APG.

Since entering the league, Young has shown he is capable of putting up big numbers. However, his productivity comes with a price. He commands the ball a lot, which would force Cunningham into an off-ball role. Seeing that Atlanta wans't able to make it work with Young and Dejounte Murray, they shouldn't risk halting the development of one of their cornerstone pieces.