I don’t know if the Lauri Markkenan to the Detroit Pistons trade rumor will ever truly die, not as long as NBA trade machines exist.
He’s long been a dream target for Pistons fans as well as pundits who think the Pistons are one stretch four from winning a title. Markkanen is averaging over 27 points and seven rebounds on a bad team while shooting eight per game from long range, so it makes sense his name would get brought up.
I haven’t written about Markkanen in a while because he didn’t seem like a realistic possibility. The Jazz have given no indication they want to trade him, in fact, just the opposite, though that could all be subterfuge.
When you then factor in the possible trade cost, his future salary, his dubious injury history, sketchy defense and fact that he’s never even been to the playoffs, I have firm reason to believe Detroit will not be pursuing Markkanen, as there are options that could give them almost as much for a fraction of the cost and risk.
I also assume that Danny Ainge would want one of Ausar Thompson and/or Ron Holland, which is probably a dealbreaker for the Pistons given their importance to the team defense that is carrying them.
But all of this didn’t stop Bleacher Report from putting out their latest fake trade to land Markkanen in Detroit:
It’s one of the only Markkanen trades that doesn’t include Holland or Thompson, so it did catch my attention. It would be a high cost, but it’s one the Pistons could potentially stomach.
The Lauri Markkanen trade that makes sense for the Pistons
The problem Detroit always runs into with players who make as much as Markkanen makes is coming up with matching salaries, as sending three rotation players for one is always tough to absorb.
That wouldn’t be the case here, as LeVert hasn’t even played in eight games, Markkanen would replace Harris and Ivey’s 17-18 minutes a game could be absorbed between the other guards and our old friend Svi Mykhailiuk, who is also included in this proposal.
Detroit wouldn’t be losing any depth here, nor giving up players they are building their future around. Jaden Ivey is a restricted free agent, so even he has a murky future in Detroit. Detroit would be adding two shooters with size without giving up any of their defensive aces.
I don’t think the Pistons will go this big at the trade deadline and also don’t think they need to, but if they could land a player like Markkanen without giving up one of their wings, it’s something to consider.
I have my doubts the Jazz would even take this deal, especially since the final two picks have top-five protections. You never know where the Pistons will be in another five years, so those could end up being valuable picks, at least the later two.
I also have my doubts the Pistons would want to take on the rest of Markkanen’s contract, which still has three more years after this one, especially when they are on the cusp of giving Jalen Duren a monster new deal.
It’s an interesting idea, though one the Pistons don’t appear to be exploring in any meaningful way, so I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
