Ranking Detroit Pistons most untouchable trade assets

Cunningham is the straw that stirs the drink. Detroit’s franchise point guard is averaging 27.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 9.3 assists, along with a career-high 1.5 steals. With a Third-Team All-NBA nod, an All-Star appearance, and a Player of the Month already on his resume, he’s unquestionably the Pistons’ cornerstone.

2. Ausar Thompson

Thompson is the Pistons’ best point-of-attack defender — an All-Defensive caliber talent on track to earn the first such honor of his career. He’s averaging 11.8 points, six rebounds, three assists, and 1.5 steals this season. The 6-foot-7 wing is arguably the team’s most valuable player outside of Cunningham. At just 23, his potential is enormous.

While still a non-shooter, he’s made noticeable strides with his handle. Thompson excels at cutting off the ball from the weak side, and his patented turnaround jumper in the lane is increasingly becoming a reliable weapon as he grows more comfortable offensively.

3. Jalen Duren

Duren has made tremendous strides as a player. Last season, after his first 30 games, questions swirled about whether he should cede minutes to Isaiah Stewart or Paul Reed due to defensive lapses and lack of focus. Fast forward to this season, and he’s averaging a career-high 18.8 points and 11.5 rebounds on 66 percent shooting.

As Cunningham’s de facto pick-and-roll partner, he’s added a right-handed drive with delicate floaters and a turnaround jumper to his arsenal. His defensive improvements have helped the Pistons fully embrace their identity as one of the NBA’s best paint teams.

4. Isaiah Stewart

“Beef Stew” is the heart and soul of the Pistons. A defensive stalwart at the rim, he ranks second in the league with two blocks per game and anchors what is currently the NBA’s second-best defense. While his shooting sits at 41 percent, his value as a defensive anchor — combined with his leadership and cultural impact on the team — makes Stewart nearly irreplaceable. He’s an elite rim protector and one of the league’s most reliable big-man insurance policies.

5. Ron Holland

In a few years, Holland could find himself near the top of the list, but still, the 20-year old is an ultra impactful player. The 6-foot-8 wing is an eight-point scorer in just over 20 minutes per night with 1.7 steals per game, which is tied for eighth in the NBA. He is the lone player in the NBA’s top 10 in steals who doesn’t play more than 25 minutes per night.

6. Jaden Ivey

Ivey has had a tough go of it. He hadn’t played in 11 months, missing most of Detroit’s late-season turnaround, and the rust showed. But before his injury last January, the 23-year-old guard was averaging 17.6 points and four assists while shooting 42 percent from three — a reminder of just how dynamic he can be. An electrifyingly fast guard, Ivey now finds himself at an important crossroads. On a minutes restriction through nine games, he’s averaging 7.6 points while shooting 10-for-24 from deep in just 14 minutes per night. His per-36 numbers — 20 points, seven rebounds, and three assists — hint that the burst and upside are still there, waiting for the workload to catch up.

7. Duncan Robinson

With Robinson, it’s pretty straightforward. He’s knocked down a team-high 66 threes on 40 percent shooting. Cunningham is second with 40 makes, and no one else on the roster comes close to matching Robinson’s combination of volume and efficiency.

He’s also on a very tradeable three-year, $48 million descending contract. But dealing him would create a cavernous void in Detroit’s half-court spacing around Cunningham—the kind of loss that would immediately reshape the offense in all the wrong ways.