Why the Detroit Pistons should pass on Anthony Davis trade

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Pistons are expected to be suitors for Mavericks center/forward Anthony Davis. For a Detroit team sitting atop the Eastern Conference at 19–5, that sounds tantalizing. But it’s fool’s gold.

Oct 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) drives to the basket during the game between the Mavericks and the Thunder at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As great as Anthony Davis is, at 33 years old, he’s more like a car that turns heads—then stalls before hitting the block.

A calf injury has already kept him out of 13 games this season. Over 10 of the Mavericks’ 25 games this year, Davis is averaging 19.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. His 19.6 points are his lowest since his second year in the league (20.8), and his blocks are at a career low since his second season in Los Angeles, when he also averaged 1.6 per game.

Davis is eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million max extension on August 6, which would pay him $76 million in his age-37 season.

That’s a lot of money for a player who has played more than 70 games only once since 2017.

Shams:

“Three Eastern Conference teams WILL emerge as suitors for Anthony Davis, are the Pistons, Raptors, and the Atlanta Hawks.”

“You’re looking at packages around role players, picks, potentially expiring contracts.”

“There’s a group of Eastern Conference contenders… pic.twitter.com/ZYd332HEXg

— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) December 9, 2025

The on-court fit for Detroit raises even more red flags. Defensively, the Pistons would theoretically be stronger—adding Davis to a squad that already ranks third in defensive rating at 111.9—but offensively, the fit is clunky.

You’d have three non-shooters in the frontcourt operating in overlapping areas. Ausar Thompson often works in the dunker spot or cuts off the ball, attacking midrange with his turnaround jumper or at the rim. Jalen Duren thrives in pick-and-rolls or dribble handoff actions with Cade Cunningham, either handing off or attacking the paint.

Davis, meanwhile, is primarily a midrange and post player, shooting just 29 percent from three over his career. In the halfcourt, spacing and movement would be a challenge.

Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts in front of Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) and guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the second quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Whether the Pistons should pursue Davis comes down to two possible organizational paths: they are either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the New York Knicks.

The Thunder allowed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren to grow together under head coach Mark Daigneault and GM Sam Presti. Their complementary offseason moves—trading for Alex Caruso and signing Isaiah Hartenstein—enhanced the core without sacrificing the team’s DNA, opportunity, or future.

Over seven seasons, the Thunder have held the core leadership together while piecing together a contender that now sits atop the NBA landscape, chasing the Golden State Warriors’ 73-win mark from 2015.

The Knicks, on the other hand, took a different route. Their 2023–24 “Villanova Knicks” core—Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges—helped New York reach 50 wins but fell in seven games to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. Management then opted to alter the core, trading DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns. The result was positive: the Knicks advanced to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since the 1999–2000 season.

For Detroit, the question is whether they want to nurture a homegrown, championship-contending core or chase a win-now move with a veteran like Davis—and risk compromising the team’s identity, flexibility, or long-term upside.

Trajan Langdon on having consistency

So we have a lot of returning guys from last year, but this is a completely different team with a completely different mindset. One thing that’s always been important to me — and something I learned from the Spurs — is the value of… pic.twitter.com/CaM2LOw6Po

— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) December 2, 2025

Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon has signaled all season that patience will be the guiding principle for Detroit. A former Spurs scout, Langdon has emphasized consistency and year-to-year continuity with the current group—echoing the Spurs’ model that produced five championships without flashy, high-risk in-season moves.

This approach aligns more closely with the Oklahoma City model than a win-now gamble.

Time will tell what moves the Pistons ultimately make, but it’s clear that any roster changes will come as the team develops and finds its rhythm. In fact, by Friday’s home game against the Hawks, Detroit could have a fully healthy squad for the first time this season.

From the front office to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the message has been consistent: patience, growth, and continuity. Chasing a luxury vehicle with worn brakes would not only be organizational malpractice but also send a confusing message to fans.