Lakers Pipe Dream Hypothetical Trade Includes Detroit Pistons

A hypothetical blockbuster trade recently included the Detroit Pistons.

Nov 6, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) moves the ball up court on Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) during the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports | David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers will never stop star-hunting. As long as the Lakers continue to search for ways to cash in on the presence of the future Hall of Famer, they will continue target other stars to share the court with the duo of James and Anthony Davis.

Stephen Curry is the latest NBA star to get tossed into a hypothetical trade scenario that would send him to the Lakers. As Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus imagined a four-team blockbuster deal involving Curry, the Detroit Pistons were tossed into the mix of the pipe dream.

The Pistons don’t net a star in the hypothetical, but they would gain two veteran players with plenty of experience.

30-year-old guard Dennis Schroder has bounced around the NBA since he started with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013. At this point, Schroder is in a rebuilding situation with the Brooklyn Nets. Last year, he averaged 15 points and six assists in 29 games in Brooklyn. Before that, he produced 14 points and six assists per game in 51 games with the Toronto Raptors. In a reserve role, Schroder could be a decent temporary contributor.

Then, there’s a hypothetical reunion with Christian Wood. As another player who bounced around the league, Wood spent 62 games with the Pistons during the 2019-2020 season. He averaged 13 points and six rebounds off the bench. His 57 percent shooting from the field remains his career-best.

Wood followed up his Pistons tenure with an impressive run on the Houston Rockets, averaging over 20 points and nearly producing a double-double every night. Since then, he’s had runs with the Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers. Last year’s run in LA didn’t go as Wood had imagined.

Draft capital would be key for Detroit in this scenario. Two 2025 second-rounders would be the best gain as the Pistons remain on the rebuilding path going into next year.

As much as the Lakers would love to get the Warriors, Nets, and the Pistons to make this sort of deal happen, it’s difficult to imagine the Warriors would be sold on dealing away their future Hall of Famer for a package centered around Austin Reaves and Ben Simmons. And with the Warriors reportedly inking Curry to a one-year extension, they seem set on continuing to build around him.