The Detroit Pistons’ front office is in unfamiliar territory this offseason. After winning 60 games and reaching the second round of the playoffs, Detroit is no longer searching for under-the-radar players—it is searching for the move that can take the franchise to championship level.
Naturally, plenty of names have been connected to the Pistons. From Lauri Markkanen to Trey Murphy III, fans have identified several players who could help elevate an already talented roster. Few names, however, generate as much debate as Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard’s talent has never been in question. His age and injury history, however, raise legitimate concerns. More importantly, the Pistons have been down this road before. Time and time again, trading young talent for aging stars has failed to deliver the results Detroit hoped for.
Pistons Offseason Plans Shouldn’t Include Repeating History For Kawhi Leonard
Pistons Offseason: Swinging For The Fences
Making a move for Leonard would address one of Detroit’s biggest needs. Despite winning 60 games and reaching the second round, the Pistons often struggled when opponents focused on Cade Cunningham. Adding Leonard would give Detroit the elite secondary co-star it has lacked next to Cunningham. This season, Leonard averaged 27.9 points while shooting 50.5% from the field and 38.7% from beyond the arc.
Leonard would also strengthen the identity that has fueled Detroit’s rise. One of the league’s premier two-way players, he finished fourth in the NBA with 1.9 steals per game while continuing to provide elite perimeter defense. His no-nonsense approach would fit naturally with a fan base that has always embraced hard-nosed basketball. From a basketball standpoint, it’s easy to understand why Leonard remains an intriguing option for the Pistons.
A Gamble With the Future
While Leonard addresses several of Detroit’s needs, the risks are impossible to ignore. Over the last seven seasons, he has played 65 or more games only twice and missed the entire 2021-22 campaign after suffering a torn ACL. Even when healthy, Leonard’s availability has been difficult to count on.
Leonard will turn 35 on June 29, and there are legitimate questions about how long he can continue performing at an elite level. Acquiring a player of his caliber would almost certainly require Detroit to part with key young pieces such as Ausar Thompson or Jalen Duren, per the Athletic’s Hunter Patterson, sacrificing long-term growth for a player who may have only a short window left. Off-the-court concerns, including the ongoing investigation involving Aspiration, add another layer of uncertainty.
After years of rebuilding, the Pistons have finally assembled a promising young core. The question isn’t whether Leonard makes Detroit better today—he almost certainly does. The question is whether sacrificing pieces of the future for a 35-year-old star with an extensive injury history is worth the risk.
Ghosts of Trades Past
For the Pistons, a blockbuster trade with the Clippers has burned them before. In 2018, Detroit acquired Blake Griffin in hopes of returning to contention. Griffin delivered one outstanding season in 2018-19, but injuries quickly derailed his tenure. The Pistons sacrificed assets, committed significant money, and found themselves rebuilding just a few years later.
Nearly a decade earlier, Detroit made another win-now gamble when it traded Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson. The move brought in a former MVP and perennial All-NBA player, but it also marked the end of one of the most successful eras in franchise history. Iverson’s lone season in Detroit was a disappointment, and the Pistons failed to regain their footing for years.
That’s what makes a potential pursuit of Leonard so complicated. Leonard is still one of the league’s elite talents, but the Pistons have seen this story before. Trading young pieces for aging stars may provide short-term excitement, but history suggests it rarely delivers the long-term results Detroit is seeking.
The Last Word
The appeal of Leonard is undeniable, but the Pistons’ offseason should be about building on what produced a 60-win season, not repeating past mistakes. Trading young pieces like Thompson and Duren for an aging star with an extensive injury history may provide a short-term boost, but history suggests those moves rarely end well. For Detroit, the smartest move this offseason may be trusting the foundation that got them here.
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