The Detroit Pistons are on the upswing after far too many years of settling for missing the postseason.
Fortunately for Cade Cunningham and company, the Eastern Conference looks as wide open as it has been in quite some time following the injury to Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics’ financial issues, the New York Knicks’ puzzling coaching decision, and the subsequent bust of a search, and the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly being open to potential trade talks for multiple starters.
While it remains to be seen what Trajan Langdon and the Pistons’ front office will do to take advantage of this window, one of Detroit’s Eastern Conference rivals is wasting no time in addressing their roster needs ahead of the offseason as the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies reportedly agreed to a blockbuster deal involving a former lottery pick of the Pistons on Sunday morning.
Former Pistons G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Traded in Blockbuster Deal
According to Shams Charania of ESPN.com, the Grizzlies have agreed to send veteran wing Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for former Detroit lottery pick Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks, and a first-round pick swap.
The Magic are going for it with this move as they see a window in Orlando to break through the glass ceiling and establish the franchise as one of the Eastern Conference’s true contenders during the 2025-26 campaign. With a core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Wendell Carter Jr., the Magic’s front office believes they have the pieces needed to make noise in the East.
This ultimately puts more pressure on Detroit to make the appropriate moves to help push them deeper into the postseason this coming year. The Pistons do not have to mortgage their future for a player like Bane, however, as Orlando did in this deal.
Giving up that many unprotected first-round picks is a risky move that fans in the Motor City have seen blow up in teams’ faces time and time again. Bane is undoubtedly a good player, but giving up four unprotected picks, a pick swap, and a pair of veterans is quite the price to pay for a player who has never been an All-Star in this league.
Pistons fans have to hope that history repeats itself with this trade, and Orlando does not make the type of jump this season that their organization expects. Fortunately, Detroit still has plenty of assets to use in potential deals this summer as well. So, the Pistons won’t just be sitting on the sidelines all summer long.
