Pistons trade scenarios: Andrew Wiggins? OG Anunoby? First-round pick?

What if, hear me out, the worst team in the NBA doesn’t start turning things around soon?

The Detroit Pistons are 2-14, in the midst of a 13-game losing streak and are very, very close to having to decide if they should shake things up sooner than anticipated. It’s possible that a healthy roster helps turn the ship around. Jalen Duren recently returned from an ankle injury. The same with Isaiah Livers. Bojan Bogdanović should be back sometime this week. Soon, for the first time this season, Detroit’s decision-makers will be able to properly evaluate its roster and attempt to shake this funk with relatively good health.

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Still, one still has to ponder … what if the Pistons’ fortunes don’t change?

Per league and team sources, Detroit isn’t yet considering a “panic” trade of sorts. That, though, could change a little less than a month from now if the Pistons don’t start climbing out of the NBA’s cellar and with Dec. 15, the date players who were free agents this summer signed new contracts, nearing. A loss to the equally-as-bad Washington Wizards on Monday won’t make anyone feel any better about the situation. There’s no guarantee the team with the worst record in basketball will start stacking wins here and there.

With all of that to consider, I, along with co-workers at The Athletic, take a look at potential trades that could make sense for the Pistons if the losses keep piling up in abundance.

Golden State receives: Bogdanović, Alec Burks and three second-round picks

Pistons receive: Andrew Wiggins, Cory Joseph and Brandin Podziemski

Detroit perspective

There’s a world where the Pistons enter next summer with about $60 million in cap space, and I don’t think using some of that during the season to acquire someone like the 28-year-old Wiggins, who has three years left on his deal after this season, would be a bad idea. Wiggins fits what Detroit wants to be about in terms of defense, switchability and athleticism. And despite his low 3-point percentage so far this season, he was a more-than-solid 3-point shooter the previous three years.

Wiggins and rookie Ausar Thompson as the starting forwards over the next few years could be a lot of fun to watch defensively. The Pistons could go small with one of them as the power forward alongside Duren.

Wiggins being under contract for three more seasons after this year, given his age, would make a lot of sense for Detroit if it wants to be better sooner rather than later.

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Anthony Slater, Warriors beat writer…

Why the Warriors would do this: They desperately need some secondary scoring. It took more than 10 games this season for someone not named Stephen Curry to score more than 20 points in a game. Wiggins and Klay Thompson have been in deep shooting slumps. Bogdanović, if healthy (a concern), provides a more reliable scoring threat and floor spacing than Wiggins. Burks also has fans in the building. He was on that forgettable 15-50 Warriors team a few years ago and scored well for them. They could use what he provides off the bench.

Why the Warriors wouldn’t do this: Everyone who matters in the Warriors’ decision-making process — coaches, front office, ownership, veteran players — are intent on making at least one more deep playoff run. They all understand that wing defense is required to advance in April and May. Wiggins’ work against Luka Doncić and Jayson Tatum edged them over the top for the 2021 title. He’s in a funk now, but they know what he can theoretically bring if right on the defensive end. Bogdanović and Burks don’t possess that capability. It’s why I believe they’d ultimately say no to a deal like this (while also choosing to protect Podziemski, a recent first-rounder they like internally).

Pistons receive: 2024 first-round pick (their own) and Evan Fournier

New York receives: Bogdanović

Detroit perspective

This one isn’t as sexy as the Warriors proposal, at least not in the short term. Fournier is a worse, smaller version of Bogdanović. However, like Bogdanović, Detroit can rid itself of Fournier after this season. The Knicks guard has a $19 million team option, and Detroit very likely wouldn’t pick that up. So, the Pistons would still have about the same amount of camp space next summer while, and most importantly, getting back their own first-round pick to possibly use in a bigger trade at this year’s deadline or next summer.

Fred Katz, Knicks beat writer…

There is a world where this is the type of trade the Knicks seek out at the deadline: Using Fournier’s salary and a pick to bring back an upgrade at a position of need. Of course, New York already has a full rotation. Chances are, if it were to swap someone who doesn’t play for a 3-point shooting forward, a type that could help this roster, another move would come along with it. But the Knicks have made deals like this before, like just last season when they sent Cam Reddish, who wasn’t in the rotation at the time, and a first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Josh Hart. If the Knicks were to make a similar move this winter, trying to upgrade on the margins, I imagine it wouldn’t come until far closer to the deadline than now.

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Pistons receive: OG Anunoby and Thaddeus Young

Raptors receive: Bogdanović, Jaden Ivey and a second-round pick of their choice

Detroit perspective

Giving up Ivey would be a tough pill to swallow. He’s young, electric and has great upside. However, to get good players, you have to trade good players, and Anunoby would solve many problems for the Pistons. He’s one of the best 3-and-D wings in the NBA and is just entering his prime. Anunoby and Thompson next to each other would be hell for opposing teams defensively for many, many years. On offense, he’d provide good floor spacing for Cunningham and has the ability to get his own bucket.

The caveat is Anunoby has a player option after this season, so Detroit would need to have a wink-wink deal in place before making this move. It would have to know with 100 percent certainty that it would be able to sign the 26-year-old forward long term. Without that, this would be a no-go for me. Ivey’s upside is too high to risk Anunoby not returning.

Eric Koreen, Raptors beat writer…

Why Toronto would do this: If you believe in Ivey, he is the type of explosive guard that the Raptors lack, especially among their younger players. The Raptors badly need that element. If Bogdanović is healthy, he would give the Raptors a more dynamic shooter than Anunoby, plus some optionality if they want to a) move him for picks; b) waive him thanks to his low guarantee, allowing them to potentially be a player in free agency in July.

Why Toronto wouldn’t do this: Despite Pascal Siakam’s All-NBA/All-Star status, Anunoby might be the Raptors’ most valuable player because of his All-Defense hounding and low-maintenance fit offensively. Trading him for just one long-term piece, especially as Ivey struggles, feels very unlikely. Apologies to the second-round pick, who will obviously turn into the next Manu Ginóbili.

(Top photo of OG Anunoby: Cole Burston / Getty Images)

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