The Detroit Pistons have appeared as a more calculated and conservative team in free agency and out on the trade market during their first two years under president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon and it’s quickly seen them rocket to the top of the Eastern Conference.
But as the Pistons look more like a playoff team with every passing game, the prospect of making a move at the Feb. 5 trade deadline seems more possible.
The core for Detroit has taken a major step and wins keep coming as their depth proves to be a feature, even when dealing with injuries throughout their 27-9 start.
That certainly doesn’t mean the Pistons couldn’t use a boost in certain aspects, one keenly noticeable area being three-point shooting. Detroit is 26th in the league for threes made per game (11.2) and 18th in three-point percentage (35.5%).
When it comes to long runs in the postseason, strong shooting — or at least having a team that can get hot at the right time — has proven to be a winning formula.
This has seen the Pistons tied to Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. as a good fit for the deadline. Since being traded by the Denver Nuggets this offseason, Porter’s numbers are flourishing with a career-best 25.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, while shooting nearly 41% from three.
It may be for a talent-starved 11-22 Nets team, but Porter is proving he can up his game when called upon.
NBA insider Marc Stein, on a [recent appearance of the All NBA Podcast](https://www.youtube.com/live/4i0aVXvgIuA?t=653s), said it is not yet confirmed that Detroit has pursued Porter. But he says the move would “make a lot of sense for the Pistons.”
After some overstated rumors suggested Detroit would try to acquire veteran Dallas Mavericks Anthony Davis, adding the 27-year-old Porter seems to be a much better fit.
“They don’t want to make some really splashy, expensive move for an older player. Anthony Davis also wants an extension if he gets moved somewhere,” Stein said. “That’s not the move that Detroit is looking to make at this early stage of their evolution as a playoff contender. But Michael Porter Jr. as a shooter...every team with aspirations of doing anything in the playoffs can always use an extra shooter. That’s why the Nets’ phone is going to keep ringing.
“Will we see a Michael Porter Jr. deal in the next month? It’s not quite clear if we will. But I think we’ll continue to hear teams interested, scenarios making the rounds. It will ultimately be, are the Nets’ demands met.”
Porter is on the penultimate season of his five-year, $179 million contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. That may make it a little more challenging to pry him away from the Nets.
Some injury history should keep him from costing the same as, say, [Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz](https://www.mlive.com/pistons/2025/11/why-asking-price-for-all-star-forward-is-too-high-not-fitting-for-pistons.html), but it’s likely the Nets will be looking for a more considerable return than if his contract were expiring.
The Pistons do have all of their first-round draft capital for the next seven years to work with and some expiring contracts of their own — like Tobias Harris and Jaden Ivey — that could offset Porter’s $38 million cap hit this season and $41 million next season.
Langdon and the Pistons have preached interest in letting their young team continue growing and evolving together and this season that strategy has been effective.
However, as results continue to improve and the potential to be a serious contender in the postseason increases, we’ll see if the front office is ready to make some significant moves to bolster the roster.