Pistons Could Find Perfect Floor-Spacing Boost in Michael Porter Jr.

The Detroit Pistons are starting to look like a team on the rise currently sitting at 6-2 on the young season. They are young, athletic, and quietly building one of the most exciting rosters in the Eastern Conference.

But if there’s one thing still missing from their blueprint, it’s consistent outside shooting. That’s why Michael Porter Jr. might be the perfect piece to elevate this group from up and coming to a real threat in the conference.

The Pistons could be an ideal landing spot for Porter if the Brooklyn Nets decide to go full rebuild mode. Theproposed move would send Tobias Harris and his expiring deal to Brooklyn, giving the Nets a clean financial slate for 2026–27, while Detroit lands a 26-year-old forward still capable of lighting it up from deep.

And for the Pistons, the fit just makes sense. Considering he has championship pedigree having won with the Nuggets in 2023.

Porter’s shooting ability to knock it down from deep has never been in question. When healthy, he’s one of the league’s best floor spacers, boasting a career 40 % mark from downtown.

He thrives off ball movement, spacing the floor for playmakers who can put pressure on defense. Cade is someone who can get him a ton of easy looks as his gravity as a scorer allows him to find an open man with ease when he penetrates.

Pairing Porter with Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren could finally give the Pistons a balanced attack.

With two non-shooters in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren adding a shooter of his caliber would open up driving lanes and force the defense to overcommit and make opposing teams have to pick their poison when it comes to the Pistons.

Porter is also young enough to fit into the timeline of this unit’s core. At 27, he is enough to bring playoff experience and leadership, but young enough to grow alongside the team’s stars.

Being able to leave the situation in Brooklyn to again play for a team competing for something while also in a low-pressure, development-focused environment like Detroit could be exactly what he needs to reestablish himself as one of the league’s premier scoring wings.

Financially, the move benefits both sides. Brooklyn sheds long-term salary while continuing to add flexibility for a rebuild. Detroit, meanwhile, gets a proven scorer under contract who still has room to grow and could potentially turn into a foundational piece alongside Cunningham.

For the Pistons, it’s about acceleration. They’re no longer in the “collect assets and wait” approach they want to build upon their success from last year where they ended their playoff drought, and a player like Porter helps make that leap faster.

Of course, health remains the biggest question mark. Porter’s injury issues have followed him throughout his career, and that will always be a concern for any team making a long-term commitment to him.

However, when he’s on the floor he’s a difference-maker and he’s the kind of shooter who shifts defensive game plans and changes how opponents guard you.

If Detroit truly believes it’s ready to compete, a calculated risk like this could be worth taking. Porter’s shooting and scoring versatility are exactly what this young team needs to complement its core. And if the Nets are ready to deal, the Pistons might want to be the first ones on the phone.

Because if Michael Porter Jr. rediscovers his form in Detroit, in a wide open Eastern Conference he might just be the player who helps turn the Pistons from knocking at the door to busting it down.