Report: Pistons have 'real interest' in Mavericks PG Jalen Brunson
A long, trying 2021-2022 campaign that will end with nearly 60 losses and a bottom-five record in the NBA is coming to a close for the Detroit Pistons. This winter wasn't expected to be a banner season for Detroit, as the team hasn't made the playoffs since 2019 and hasn't won a playoff series since 2008, when the late Flip Saunders was in his last season at the helm.
Not only that, but the Pistons had the worst record in the Eastern Conference last season at 20-52, so expectations weren't high coming into the year. With their poor record last year, though, Detroit was able to capitalize on their good odds and land the top-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and select Cade Cunningham, who has come as advertised.
With a solid core surrounding Cunningham in store for next season, the organization may have their eyes set on acquiring another exciting young guard this offseason.
James Edwards III of The Athletic noted that the Pistons may be in a good financial position to push for Brunson.
"The Pistons have the most cap space in the NBA this summer and a likely top-five pick at their disposal," he wrote . "Jalen Brunson is a tremendous secondary ballhandler who can create his own shot, is a terrific spot-up shooter and possesses great basketball instincts. He’s also a free agent this summer, and the Pistons have real interest in him, per sources. Brunson next to Cunningham would be one difficult backcourt to deal with offensively and would look nearly identical to how Luka Doncic and Brunson play together."
Brunson is in the midst of a career year in his fourth NBA season, all spent with the Mavericks. The Villanova standout is currently averaging career highs across the board in points (16.3), rebounds (3.9), assists (4.8), steals (0.9) and minutes per game (32.2) across a career-high 77 games played (including a career-high 59 starts).
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