The Detroit Pistons suffered a bad loss last night and had an [injury to a key player](https://pistonpowered.com/injury-may-force-detroit-pistons-into-drastic-move-earlier-than-expected), so predictably, the fan overreactions today were severe, with many calling upon Trajan Langdon to make a big move to get his superstar Cade Cunningham some help.
The Pistons will eventually have to get Cade a sidekick unless an internal option emerges. The Pistons already have great foundational players in Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart, who may all be stars in their own right, but not the kinds of players you can hand the ball to late in a game and say, “go get us a bucket.”
When you see how the Spurs have complemented Victor Wembanyama not only with young high-ceiling guys his own age but with a young veteran in De’Aaron Fox, you have to wonder if the Pistons may eventually [follow that model with Cade.](https://pistonpowered.com/wembanyama-model-detroit-pistons-follow-cade-cunningham)
But for those demanding a big trade after one bad loss, you are probably going to be disappointed, as Trajan Langdon knows that making the wrong move right now could doom his team to the place no one wants to be, which is in NBA limbo.
Detroit Pistons can’t make a panic move that could destroy everything
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The Pistons have long maintained that they will be patient and not rush things by making a splashy move at the trade deadline, and I tend to believe them.
Trading for someone like Anthony Davis or Lauri Markkanen would be the type of all-in move that will blow up in their faces if it doesn’t work. Say the Pistons were to gut their roster for Markkanen and then get bounced in the first round of the playoffs. What then?
They’d then be locked into a roster that is not good enough with no clear way to make it better, which is exactly where you don’t want to be in the NBA, where it’s better to be terrible than a perpetual 9th seed.
We’ve seen teams do this before, most recently the Kings, who couldn’t be patient with Haliburton and Fox, traded them both away and are now the biggest dumpster fire in the league after being one of its best stories just a few seasons ago.
With another playoff run under their belts after this season, it will be much easier for Trajan Langdon to identify exactly what his team needs, then make a plan to get it. That doesn’t mean he won’t make a big move at the deadline if the right one presents itself, but it’s not going to be with short-term gains in mind and will have to be a player who can grow with the team without completely destroying their financial flexibility.
If that trade doesn’t emerge, then Langdon will continue to be patient with his young core and make decisions after the season, when there is less risk of giving up all of their assets for the wrong guy and getting locked into a roster that isn’t good enough.