The NBA trade market is expected to have a few notable names in it this season. Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson almost seem as good as gone, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, and Ja Morant are on trade demand watch after seeing their teams fizzle out early.
Will the Detroit Pistons take one of those stars out of their current franchise’s hands? Bleacher Report recently made a bold NBA trade prediction, projecting the idea that arguably “the most polarizing player” in Williamson would end up in the Motor City.
“Dumars should immediately be taking calls from any team that’s willing to take a gamble on Williamson’s talent and upside,” writes BR’s Greg Swartz. “This could include the Detroit Pistons, who are led by former Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon and need more scoring punch alongside Cade Cunningham.”
“…Detroit makes the most sense. The franchise that Dumars starred with for 14 years and later ran the front office for another 14 would be an ideal trade partner. No other front office leader knows Williamson as well as Langdon, either.”
Let’s break it down: relationships matter in the NBA. Trajan Langdon left the Pelicans with no bad blood. New Orleans hired a guy who is very well-respected in Detroit to take over the front office, and hired the guy that Langdon replaced to be high on the decision-making ladder. The two teams seem like they could be great trade partners in the future.
Will it be for Zion, whom Trajan knows well? It depends. Is knowing Williamson as well as anybody a good or bad thing? On one hand, Williamson is as good as advertised. He was the No. 1 pick for a reason and is a dominant force on the court when he’s healthy.
Again, when he’s healthy.
Williamson’s rookie effort was just 24 games. He played in 61 games for his sophomore season before missing the entire 2021-2022 season due to an injury. He followed up that run with 29 appearances in 2022-2023.
Last year, Williamson was moving in the right direction with his availability, appearing in a career-high 70 games. He averaged 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists throughout the year. The trend wouldn’t continue, though. In 2024-2025, Williamson saw the court for just 30 games.
The lack of availability, mixed with the constant questions and concerns surrounding his conditioning, has enough red flags to make a team like the Pistons hesitant to make a deal. Langdon seems committed to playing the long game and allowing homegrown players to develop and maintain their status as core pieces. Trading for a player like Williamson is a gamble that goes against that philosophy.
