NBA Insider Speaks on Pistons 'Evolved' Trade Deadline Approach

Should the Pistons be seeking upgrades before the trade deadline?

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

As we approach the halfway point in the regular season, no team has shattered expectations more than the Detroit Pistons. Now in a position to possibly end their playoff drought, Trajan Langdon might have to change course when it comes to the trade deadline.

Dating back to the offseason, Langdon has prioritized financial flexibility. He was able to make some upgrades with their abundance of cap space, but left a sizable amount of room open for this time of year. Keeping cap space open put the Pistons in a position to take on money in exchange for draft capital.

During a recent episode of the Hoop Collective podcast, NBA insider Brian Windhorst touched on the Pistons leading up to the trade deadline. He doesn't think their approach will completely change, but does think it could evolve given their early-season success.

"I do think they will still facilitate trades," Windhorst said. "I think where their thinking has evolved is they're going to be careful taking on players for multiple years that may not be valuable players to their roster."

Brian Windhorst on the Detroit Pistons plans at the trading deadline

“ I do think that they will still facilitate trades I think where their thinking has evolved.

They're going to be careful taking on players for multiple years that may not be valuable players to their… pic.twitter.com/7OXPANlcLD

— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) January 16, 2025

Following their loss to the Indiana Pacers Thursday, the Pistons sit at 21-20 on the season. That is good for 9th place in the Eastern Conference. Most notably, Detroit is only a game-and-a-half out of the coveted sixth place spot.

Given how they've performed thus far, the Pistons have made a strong case for some form of upgrade to be made at the deadline. It doesn't have to be a home-run swing, but something that slightly raises their floor and helps them continue to battle for playoff position in the coming months.