Is Kyrie Irving Worth the Gamble for the Detroit Pistons?

The Detroit Pistons have been in the news for potentially trading for a star player to play with superstar Cade Cunningham, and they appear to have their eye on a big fish.

According to Vincent Goodwill, Senior Writer at ESPN, the Pistons are interested in acquiring guard Kyrie Irving from the Dallas Mavericks:

“And if Detroit has the stomach to go after it this year, they could go after someone like Kyrie Irving in Dallas — several staffers are fond of Irving’s game, shot creation, and malleability next to ball-dominant stars like James and Luka Doncic.”

Irving, who missed all of last season due to a torn ACL, is an interesting option for Detroit. Cunningham is a big, playmaking guard akin to the players mentioned, and would benefit greatly from a pure scorer like Irving. He averages around 24 points and six assists per game in his career, and his skill set as a playmaker is among the greatest of all time. He adds a three-level scorer to a rugged Detroit team that definitely needs perimeter creation. Irving’s game also pairs well with Cunningham, who is one of the best passers in the NBA. A nightly 20-10 threat, pairing the two would be perfect in Detroit.

While they make sense from a basketball sense, the biggest questions about an Irving trade are simple: Age and Cost. At 34 years old, Irving would surely be a rental, with his contract up in 2027-28 and having a player option in his contract. Combine that with his 19-month absence from the game, and it gets complicated. His contract is another factor: as Irving makes roughly $40 million, the team would have to match salaries and potentially picks to acquire the former champion.

The Pistons’ interest in Irving is something fans should monitor, as it’s a direct statement that the team is ready to contend.