The Pistons’ perfect pitch to Lauri Markkanen for the Jazz in the midst of a historic start

It wasn’t that long ago Detroit Pistons were losing games left, right and center. In 2023, they lost an NBA record 28 games, and it looked like everything was bleak and hopeless for this Pistons team. Fast forward to 2025 and they sit pretty much atop the Eastern Conference with a 15-2 record backed by a 13-game winning streak.

This The Pistons team has come such a long way since when did winning feel like winning the NBA championship. Picking up wins on a nightly basis is now the expectation for this rising powerhouse led by Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, and they could contend for a title as early as next year.

What makes the future prospects of the Pistons that much more promising is the fact that they went on this hot streak despite not having a full roster yet. Jaden Ivey and Tobias Harris have only recently returned from their injuries, while Marcus Sasser is also out for the year. It might be hard to think that a 15-2 team still has a lot of room to grow, but that’s exactly the case with this Pistons team.

Peastons have become the choice of many members of the media as the next team to pull off a blockbuster trade to try to speed up their contentious timeline. One trade target that has emerged for them is the Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanenwho is in the midst of a strong comeback campaign in which he is averaging nearly 30 points per contest.

Detroit’s best offer for Lauri Markkanen

Clip trade: Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, 2026, 2028 and 2030 first round picks, 2027 and 2029 first round pick swap.

Jazz trade: Lauri Markkanen

Acquiring a star player who is under a multi-year contract requires trading away multiple future first-round picks; New York Knicks trade for Mikal Bridges made them give up five picks in the first round to the Brooklyn Nets. This is a similar price for the Pistons.

Many insiders believe that any negotiations the Pistons have for Markkanen will have Ausar Thompson as their starting point. Thompson is a blossoming two-way force and is proving to be one of the best defenders in the league. He’s only 22 years old, and his athleticism and defensive instincts have become a big part of the Pistons’ gritty identity.

It’s understandable why the Jazz would want Thompson in any trade scenario. Thompson is by far the best Pistons prospect available for trade (Cunningham and Duren are untouchable), and the question will always be whether his offensive game develops to the point where he can be more than a transition demon and threat near the rim.

Thompson is shooting 30.8 percent from beyond the arc this year, but he’s only doing so on one attempt per game. As enticing as his talent and athleticism are, he could be played off the court in playoff scenarios if he can’t at least hit his open threes. He will dare to shoot – can he rise to the challenge when the time comes?

But Thompson did too important a piece for the Pistons give up Markkanen is a far better shooter than Thompson, but the Pistons need his defensive contributions to progress on their way to contention.

A player who is emerging as a bit of a surplus piece for the Pistons is Jaden Ivey. No one should doubt that Ivey is a talented shooter who was just unlucky when he broke his leg earlier this year. Ivey can score from all three levels, and he’s the right kind of point guard who can relieve pressure on the goal as well as off-ball load from Cunningham.

But Pthe Eastons improved even when Ivey played small role. Ivey’s absence also allowed the Pistons to give Duren more faceoff opportunities, and he made the most of them. Duncan Robinson has also emerged as a valuable part of the starting lineup as a lesser-used, movement-based scorer.

And then the Pistons now have Caris LeVert, another player and scorer off the bench. Deniss Jenkins was also brilliant, coming out of nowhere to become a legitimate rotation player. And then there’s Sasser, who can also deliver some serviceable minutes as Cunningham’s backup.

Parting ways with Ivy will not sit well with Pistons fans. But if the return is Markkanen, then it would be worth letting him go. Markkanen has so much gravitas on offense that he doesn’t need to touch the ball often to make an impact on this up-and-coming Detroit team.

The most painful part of this transaction may be the firing of Tobias Harris. Harris is a certified culture starter for the team, and it’s no coincidence that Detroit began to turn things around upon Harris’ arrival.

This is the exact off-court hurdle the Pistons have to face as they debate whether it’s worth pulling off this kind of blockbuster. Harris is too important to the locker room, as is Ivy, for Detroit’s vibe to crumble and their play to suffer as a result, even though they bring (on paper) an upgrade in Markkanen.

Why Lauri Markkanen is the perfect fit for the Pistons

Markkanen is one of the best scorers in the federation. His jump shot is clean, and at 7’0″, he’s a mismatch on the walk, especially when lined up for the three. He is currently averaging 28.5 points on 47.7 percent shooting from the field as the first option for one of the NBA’s worst teams in the Jazz.

But Markkanen is not your typical guy. He doesn’t do much, if any, damage from rejection. He can struggle with smaller defenders on the block, but is content to enjoy the open looks his guards create for him. 83.5 percent of his field goals this year have been assisted, according to NBA.com.

That’s a sign that makes him perfect for any team with a do-it-all point guard like the Pistons do in Cunningham. For reference, only 62.7 percent Duren’s baskets are assisted. Cunningham has 26.9 percent.

As a non-ball-dominant star, Markkanen should be able to take this Pistons offense to the next level. Cunningham would have even more room to breathe on the perimeter, and having Markkanen running on screens in the role Duncan Robinson fills makes the team that much more dangerous to defend.

In terms of fit on the court, Markkanen and the Pistons are like hand and glove. But there are several off-field hurdles Detroit must overcome, making any trade for Markkanen difficult.

Will the Pistons disrupt their chemistry? Or even satisfy the exorbitant price of the Jazz?

With the Pistons on the road, they may be hesitant to make a seismic midseason change. Integrating Markkanen won’t be difficult, but parting ways with the pieces the Jazz would require in any trade scenario will be.

Regardless, the Pistons have cap flexibility as well as assets, making them a very reasonable trade destination for the Jazz star. But the Jazz under Austin Ainge will extract a huge trade return for Markkanen, given the he is under contract until the 2028-29 season.

Will the Pistons even be willing to meet certain exorbitant trade demands the Jazz will have, especially if it risks destroying locker room morale?