Shams Charania of ESPN reported last week that the Pistons were expected to be among the suitors for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis . However, league sources tell Hunter Patterson of The Athletic that Davis isn’t currently on Detroit’s radar, as the team is focused on “internal growth” rather than a major win-now acquisition.
As Patterson notes, president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has publicly
stated
multiple times that the Pistons want to build patiently and continue developing their promising young core. Detroit improved to 21-5 on Monday after picking up a victory in Boston, and currently holds the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Langdon said a couple weeks ago that the front office would be “opportunistic” if the right trade opportunity presents itself, but the team didn’t plan to aggressively seek out upgrades. Patterson has heard similarly, writing that the Pistons are “content” with the current roster and aren’t contemplating any drastic shakeups.
Patterson acknowledges that stance could change in the weeks leading up to the February 5 deadline, but as of now, a marginal upgrade looks far more likely than a blockbuster deal.
If the Pistons do decide a major trade is necessary down the line, they would probably be better off making that type of move in the offseason, when Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey will be restricted free agents and Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart will be up for extensions, Patterson notes. Acquiring a maximum-salary star like Davis would significantly impact the team’s financial flexibility moving forward, on top of the risk inherent in dealing for an oft-injured player who’s on the wrong side of 30.
Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press explained a few days ago why a Pistons trade for Davis was unlikely, reporting that the two teams hadn’t had any talks about the 32-year-old forward/center. Keith Langlois of Pistons.com was also dubious about the possibility of an in-season deal for the 10-time All-Star.