Pistons Could Provide Rescue for Disgruntled Champ Seeking Fresh Start

Typically, it's viewed as good news when the possibility arises that a sports franchise can land veteran talent with a championship pedigree. That's true in speaking of the Detroit Pistons. That's true of every franchise in all of the professional sports. There is, however, one exception.

That theory is altered when the star mentioned offers the possibility of accompanying additional baggage. Still, even that coin has two sides. Historical reference has taught the viewing public valuable lessons.

If that player can help produce wins, teams often seem willing to put up with some of the stress that comes with employing them. Here's where all of those roads intersect. It's possible the Golden State Warriors could move on from someone they once might have been part of their long-term future. Lines have also been drawn connecting the dots representing him and the Pistons.

The Pistons could provide a safe landing space for Jonathan Kuminga if the Warriors cut ties.

Once upon a time, Jonathan Kuminga was the seventh player taken during the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. He was seen as one of the likely young cornerstones for the continuing success of a Warriors franchise that had won and won often but was also seeing its best players age. Now, he's seen as someone who could be on the move this offseason.

The Pistons make sense as a sensible landing spot for a young potential star who will be 23 at the start of the next NBA season. The Sporting News' senior NBA writer, Steph Noh agrees. In an intriguing recent write-up, he mentions the Brooklyn Nets as the top threat to lure him away from the Bay, but he also says that he believes the Detroit Pistons could open enough cap space to execute his acquisition. Depending on how Trajan Langdon and his team elect to attack the offseason, this is a relationship that can work.

"The Pistons could also potentially open up enough cap space to get Kuminga, but they would have a tough time bringing back free agents Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schroder if that were the case...

The Warriors thus have a clear edge in keeping Kuminga. The question is if they want to do so. He has more value to other teams than them. 

Kuminga is an interesting prospect with a more interesting story. He averaged 16.9 minutes and six field goal attempts as a rookie en route to a 9.3 points-per-game average during a rookie season that saw 12 starts in 70 in-game appearances. He enjoyed championship glory at the end of his first season.