Pistons trade proposal lands Nikola Jokic in offseason after Michael Malone firing

Pistons receive: Nikola Jokic

Nuggets receive: Isaiah Stewart, Jaden Ivey, Tobias Harris, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick swap, 2029 first-round pick swap

Just last season, the Pistons were one of the worst NBA teams of all time. In fact, they tied the record for the longest losing streak at 28 games. Unlike the Philadelphia 76ers, though, all of those consecutive losses came in the same season. Detroit has completely turned things around, and they are now one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

With a 43-36 record, the Pistons are currently the sixth seed. They rebuilt through the draft and have an impressive young core because of it. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, Ausar Thompson, and the currently hurt Jaden Ivey are all recent first-round picks who are quickly reaching their potential. The team has also stocked up on veterans that complement the young core well. Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dennis Schroder fit the bill in that regard.

Detroit might still be a piece or two away from true contention. A trade for Jokic would certainly get them there, though. Jokic is averaging 30 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game this season in what could be his fourth MVP-winning campaign. He is a heliocentric player who can truly do it all. His passing would work wonders alongside all of the athleticism and shooting in Detroit.

The Pistons would have to give up a haul to acquire someone as talented as Jokic, but the big man from Serbia would certainly be worth the price to pay. He’d form one of the best duos in the league with Cunningham, and because Detroit’s rebuilding phase is over and they can afford to trade away draft capital, they could still retain plenty of their rotation in this deal.

Stewart is the heart and soul of the Pistons roster, but Detroit might be getting fed up with his antics. Plus, he’d be relegated to third-string center duty with both Jokic and Duren on the roster. Ivey is talented and has a bright future, but the Pistons have won games without him, and while Harris has looked more like his old self since leaving the Philadelphia 76ers, he is still playing on a relatively lofty contract.

Does this Nikola Jokic trade look like a superstar Nuggets deal of the past?

Jokic doesn’t seem like the type of superstar player who would request a trade. Many fans peg him as a lifelong Nugget. We’ve seen a star player in Denver request a trade out of town before, though. That was, of course, Carmelo Anthony. His trade request led to a deal with the New York Knicks.

Anthony was sent alongside Chauncey Billups and a few role players for Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first-round pick and a 2016 pick swap. Anthony’s run as one of the best scorers in the league continued in New York, but the Nuggets received a solid haul for the player who was going to leave in free agency anyway.

All of the players Denver received turned into solid contributors for the team, but most notably, the pick swap turned into Jamal Murray. Murray is Jokic’s running mate and played a key part in Denver’s championship run. This proposed trade with the Pistons would land the Nuggets a similar crop of solid young players and plenty of draft capital.

Losing Jokic would be the hardest thing the Nuggets would ever experience, but this deal would at least set them up well for the next era of basketball in Denver.