Detroit Pistons’ biggest mistake in 2025 NBA free agency

Durant just wrapped up his 16th season averaging at least 25 points per game. The 17-year veteran surpassed 30,000 career points, securing his spot in history as one of the purest scorers the NBA has ever seen. Unfortunately for him, his gaudy numbers have not translated to winning over the last few seasons. His time with the Phoenix Suns ended with a mutual departure.

After a long process, Durant and the Suns agreed on a trade that sent him to the Houston Rockets. Phoenix received Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the 10th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft(Khaman Maluach), and five second-round picks. While it would not have been a one-to-one match, the Pistons’ offer for Durant would have been very similar.

Ivey would be the first player in the trade, paired with Tobias Harris and one of the Pistons’ future first-round picks. The trade would have sent a promising young player away, but the upside of Durant in a weak Eastern Conference is too good to pass up. A duo of Durant and Cunningham would have been the best in the conference and maybe the league as a whole.

As a player, Durant fits Cunningham’s game perfectly. While the Pistons’ star dominated as a scorer against the Knicks, he is a pass-first guard. His playmaking would have fit well alongside a power forward like Durant. The wing would have been able to focus on his offensive game, handing off the primary defensive assignment to Ausar Thompson.

The Pistons decided not to pull the trigger, trusting that all they need to make a deep playoff run is already on the roster. To their credit, they may very well be right, especially if Ivey and Jalen Duren can take another leap.

Where do the Pistons go from here?

Of every team in the league, few are positioned better to mimic the Thunder’s success than the Pistons. Cunningham leads the team’s youth movement with Ivey and Duren serving as his right and left hand men. They have a head coach in J.B. Bickerstaff who has changed the culture and has his players believing in themselves and one another.

After adding Robinson and LeVert, the Pistons’ roster can comfortably go nine deep, ten if Marcus Sasser shows growth. Their depth rivals the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference after an offseason where teams decided to push their chips to the middle of the table. Now that the roster appears set, a lot of its success hinges on its young talent.

Thompson and Ron Holland II have shown the ability to lock down opposing stars defensively. However, their offensive game leaves a lot to be desired. Because of that, Ivey’s growth on that end of the floor is the biggest key to Detroit’s success next season. Even if Malik Beasley has played his last game with the Pistons, the team has enough shooting to space the floor.

Even though they made a mistake in passing on Durant, Detroit’s future remains bright. Having a bona-fide star in Cunningham gives their fanbase a lot of ease, but the roster has a lot of exciting pieces. If Robinson and LeVert come in ready to go, the sky’s the limit for the Pistons in the Eastern Conference.